SINGAPORE: Raffles Institution (RI) and Raffles Junior College (RJC) will officially merge next year. The merged school will be known as Raffles Institution.

The merger is part of plans to strengthen Raffles Institution's six-year Integrated Programme, making it more seamless for its students.

The two school campuses are already side by side, with almost all RI boys progressing to RJC in its Integrated Programme that skips the GCE "O" Levels.

The new entity will be headed by the current RJC principal, Mrs Lim Lai Cheng, marking the first time Raffles Institution will have a female principal.

Mrs Lim said: "Students can expect to benefit from a wider range of programmes and co-curricular activities. Teachers can look forward to stronger professional development programmes."

Intake sizes will not be affected, which means the same number of places will still be available for application for students from other schools. The merged school will continue to admit students in Year 3 through direct school admission, as well as in Year 5 for students with GCE "O" Level results.

There will be one board of governors for the merged school, including representatives from the Raffles Girls' School (RGS) board.

RGS has declined to be part of the merger. It prefers to build on its own strengths, but will continue to work closely with the merged institution.

RGS board chairman Justice Judith Prakash said: "We found that for adolescent girls, they thrive best in an all-girls environment, where they would be more adventurous and take up leadership positions without being diffident.

"By the time the girls go on to junior college level, they are able to hold their own with the boys, and not be held back."

- CNA/ir