| Institute of Technical Education | |
| Preceding1: | Vocational and Industrial Training Board (VITB) |
| Jurisdiction: | Government of Singapore |
| Headquarters: | 2 Ang Mo Kio Drive, Singapore 567720 |
| Chief1 Name: | Andrew Chong |
| Chief1 Position: | Chairman[1] |
| Chief2 Name: | Low Khah Gek |
| Chief2 Position: | CEO |
| Parent Agency: | Ministry of Education |
| Website: | http://www.ite.edu.sg |
| Footnotes: | Vocational education |
| Agency Id: | T08GB0022B |
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) is a post-secondary education institution and statutory board under the purview of the Ministry of Education in Singapore.
Established by the Ministry of Education, it was formerly known as Vocational and Industrial Training Board (VITB). ITE has three colleges, ITE College Central, ITE College East and ITE College West. It offers the National ITE Certificate (NITEC), Higher NITEC, Technical Diploma and Work-Study Diploma.
Apart from providing vocational education to secondary school graduates, ITE offers apprenticeships for the skilled trades and diplomas in vocational education for skilled technicians and workers in support roles in professions such as accountancy, architecture, business administration, engineering and nursing. ITE is for students who are weaker in subjects, and cannot cope with the rigorous intensity of Singapore's education system.
During the 1960s and 1970s, vocational education was managed by two separate statutory boards, the Adult Education Board (AEB) and the Industrial Training Board (ITB). They were merged in 1979 to form the Vocational and Industrial Training Board (VITB). The VITB was formed to promote and develop vocational education.[2] [3]
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) was established as a post-secondary education institution to improve the employability of vocational trainees and to restructure the VITB's programmes. The government decided that every student in Singapore had to have at least ten years of general education, with technically inclined students filtered into the Normal (Technical) stream in secondary schools as preparation. These students would then attend the ITE after they finished secondary school education.[4]
Every year, ITE takes in about 25% of an annual school cohort, or an intake of about 14,000 students,[5] with an annual enrollment of about 25,000. Full-time students are typically secondary school graduates with the requisite GCE 'N' or 'O' Level qualifications.
To refine technical education in Singapore, the "One ITE System, Three Colleges" Model of Education and Governance was introduced in 2005 to merge the 10 satellite campuses into 3 regional colleges.
ITE has won a number of local awards as well as international awards. In 2005, it became the first educational institution to be awarded the Singapore Quality Award by Spring Singapore. This award is awarded to world-class organisations that demonstrate the highest standards of business excellence. ITE has also won the Public Service Distinguished Award, awarded by the Prime Minister's office in 2010, as well as the Singapore Innovation Class, awarded by Spring Singapore in 2011.
In 2007, among 30 countries that participated, ITE won the inaugural Harvard-IBM Innovations Award in Transforming Government. This prestigious award was conferred by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation of Harvard University and recognises ITE's programmes as having a profound impact on the lives of citizens.[6] [7]