As a future-ready school, Singapore (Cambodia) International Academy (SCIA) prepares students to be more purpose-driven and career-minded, guided by the educators and parents who play a pivotal role. With the upcoming launch of the International Foundation Programme (IFP) in June 2019 at SCIA, the school hopes to train and strengthen the young minds through a rigorous one-year pre-university programme.
SCIA is the first and only Recognised Teaching Centre in Cambodia appointed by University of London (UOL) to offer IFP, which will equip students with the skills and knowledge required for a structured academic undergraduate study.
SCIA is a young, next generation school in the Kingdom, and it endeavours to be the centre of excellence in education and higher learning. It is a member of the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) Group, the leading provider of a diverse range of education pathways and professional training in Singapore.
The ethos of SCIA is built to strengthen and support the young minds of the future and they place great importance in parent-teacher-child relationship. Education today is more than what is found in the textbooks. It is about preparing students for the next steps in their lives such as college and future careers.
Students today are capable of finding answers thanks to the internet, thus evolving the role of educators. “A teacher is no longer a knowledge transferrer. A teacher, I always use the word, is a conductor. They’re like a curator and they need to curate the learning,” said Anselm Chu, SCIA Managing Director & School Director. He added that parents too need to understand this paradigm shift along with the educators, and only then can students be navigated towards the right path of learning and knowledge.
The school is currently setting up a parent support group and a parents’ advisory panel. The former will be more hands-on involving school matters, whilst the latter will comprise thought leaders and industry experts. Through meetings and conversations with the parents, SCIA hopes to curate the school’s policies and directions according to the way Cambodia changes, whilst keeping true to SCIA’s vision and mission.
Cambodia’s economy is on the rise. Tourism, agriculture and real estate are the driving pillars of the economy. With digital as the future in driving businesses, the banking and finance industry is also coming alive as it embraces fintech. SCIA’s advice to students is to choose careers that will allow them to not just see the world but also understand current affairs. SCIA will partner with companies and industries to provide internships and industrial field trips. SCIA Career Connect Centre will also provide career guidance to students to help them make informed decisions on the choice of universities and the education pathways.
SCIA is adopting the Singapore junior college teaching & learning style modelled on a class-tutorial system. “In our case, we’d like to adopt this system so students will be more familiar with the university system. On the other hand, we still maintain the discipline of a school setting,” said Mr. Chu, adding that the SCIA Foundation Studies Centre (FSC), where IFP classes will be held, prepares students to be university and career ready.
Awarded and prepared by UOL, IFP includes a compulsory course in Mathematics and Statistics, and three electives which cover the basis of economics, management, finance and social sciences. The biggest impact of enrolling in the IFP is the credential and recognition it comes with. The IFP qualification is widely accepted for undergraduate entry at SIM Global Education in Singapore, at leading UK institutions: University of London, London School of Economics and Political Science, Durham, King’s College London, Warwick, and at prestigious universities in Australia, Canada and the USA.
SCIA’s holistic approach to education includes a cognitive, aesthetics, moral, physical and social approach. While academics is the main focus, IFP also includes character development, leadership, entrepreneurship as well as co-curricular activities to create an enriching and purposeful student life in preparing students to be future-ready.
