SINGAPORE: As a Crest Secondary student, Mah Yan Lin is all too familiar with the stigma to attending her school.

She remembers once being laughed at on her way home by other teenagers who recognised her uniform.

“People know that if you go to Crest, it means you didn’t do (so) well in primary school,” said the Secondary 4 student. “It makes me feel a bit angry. I feel that everyone has potential.”

Muhd Nasir Najib, also a final year Crestan, added: “The students are ‘sia suay’ (Hokkien for ‘a disgrace’). That’s what (others) say.”

Crest is not just an ordinary educational institution, though. It is one of Singapore’s two specialised secondary schools offering a mix of academic and vocational learning for students who prefer a hands-on curriculum. The other is Spectra Secondary.

And unlike other secondary schools, all its teachers expressly sign up to teach there. They hope to make a difference to the lives of students at Crest, who may struggle academically and may also face difficult circumstances at home.

“Additional help, attention, encouragement — that’d be important for (our students),” said Crest Secondary principal Benjamin Kwok.

So, what happens when these teens get another chance at school? How do the staff at Crest approach teaching differently to help their students thrive?

CNA went behind the gates of Crest Secondary over the past year to find out what makes its school environment special.

The three-part series, Inside Crest Secondary, bears witness to the anxieties, challenges and triumphs for its students — from its Secondary 1 batch fresh out of primary school to its Secondary 4 cohort preparing for the N-Levels — and its teachers.

Here are three things that will grab you.

WATCH: Part 1 — We are not “problem children” (45:08)

1. CREST’S LAST FEW COHORTS OF N(T) STUDENTS

Yan Lin and Nasir came from a batch of Crestans who had the distinction of being among Singapore’s last few cohorts in the Normal (Technical) stream, the least academically demanding course at secondary school.

Last year, the Ministry of Education fully shifted all schools from its streaming system to Full Subject-Based Banding, giving students more flexibility in accessing subjects at varying difficulty levels.

While the move is also aimed at removing some of the stigma from the N(T) stream, the struggles remain familiar for many students who find it tough to stay motivated and confident when it comes to studying.

Passing English or mathematics — a requirement for many Institute of Technical Education (ITE) courses — can feel like an insurmountable challenge to those who learn best by doing.

“Many of our students come in with a long history of failing maths,” said Crest Secondary maths teacher Lim Weiming, 41. “They always expect to fail. And naturally, it’s an uphill task (to change that).”

Nasir is one of them. “I don’t know what to do any more,” he said after getting back a maths paper. “If I try, (it’s) still the same.”

Personal challenges, including complex family backgrounds, also weigh heavily with students like Nasir, who tended to miss remedial classes to care for his younger sister. With eight siblings at home, he felt compelled to help his mother out wherever possible.

“After Secondary 2, I lost my motivation because (I had) problems at home,” he said. “That’s why I lose focus in class easily.”

For all their academic struggles, these students still harbour big dreams. Nasir, for instance, hoped to study aerospace technology at the ITE as he has loved planes since his childhood.

As for Yan Lin, who fancies becoming an air stewardess in future, her hope was to get a place on the passenger services course at the ITE.

Despite her initial disappointment at doing worse than expected in her Primary School Leaving Examination, she was determined to turn things round while preparing for her N-Level exams.

Citing the mark she received on one maths paper, she said: “37 out of 50 is a B. That’s one mark before I get an A. I can do better.”

There are others, like Lim Liang En, who also have a vision for their future. The Secondary 1 student, inspired by his mother’s cooking, hopes to open a cafe.

“My goal here is to just graduate from this school and (achieve) my dreams,” he said.

WATCH: Part 2 — More than just grades (45:14)

2. TEACHERS WHO SUPPORT THEM BEYOND GRADES

Even when Crest’s students struggle silently, their teachers are looking out for them, having chosen to join the school especially to uplift its most disadvantaged students.

“(In my) first year, I often went home crying because I was thinking about how privileged I was,” said Nur Izziana Kamaruddin, 37, in her third year as a Crest teacher.

“But I’m willing to go for it because I think understanding the students and their background … only makes my job easier.”

One student she looks out for is Muhd Firryan Tafazzul, a reserved Secondary 1 student in her form class. He lives in a single-parent household with financial challenges.

After he once missed school for several days, his teachers discovered it was because his EZ-Link card had no money.

“It was heartbreaking,” said Izziana, who checks in regularly with him and reminds him that his teachers are always available to hear out his problems.

Firryan, however, does not really open up to his teachers. But he is “so thankful” that they check on him.

“It’s not (that) I don’t want to share my problems. It’ll make them more tired,” he said. “There are also people out there facing more problems.”

Another of Izziana’s students is Liang En, whose impulsive and talkative nature often disrupted the class. And the way she addresses such issues is through one-to-one conversations, so that the students feel respected and are more receptive.

“Because their pride is something that they value a lot,” she said.

In a school where challenges are aplenty, co-curricular activities are a lifeline for many Crestans, with their teachers also helping to instil a sense of purpose.

Take, for example, Rayyan Syafiq Abdullah, whose passion is dance, especially the niche genre called waacking.

“Dance is really part of my world,” said the Secondary 2 student, who aspires to become a choreographer. “I don’t think I could live without it.”

When performing arts teacher Ian Poh, 38, noticed Rayyan’s potential, he selected the teen for a dance competition (solo category) called the Singapore Challenge Cup.

Poh also tasked Rayyan with choreographing a performance for Crest’s annual Teachers’ Day concert and even introduced him to Bryan Lee, a pioneer in Singapore’s waacking scene, who ended up offering to mentor the teen.

“(Crest’s teachers) are always fascinated by students who’ve got an X-factor in anything,” said Poh, who added that the school hoped to help Rayyan build character through the arts.

Although Rayyan’s focus on dance sometimes displeases his parents, who want him to prioritise his studies, Poh thinks removing dance could take away “more than what you think he should be putting into his academics”.

Rayyan, who initially regretted choosing Crest, now feels differently. “The teachers will encourage me. And I feel that hope (for) my future,” he said. “We (Crestans) are not naughty. We’re very fun and very creative. … We can dance.”

WATCH: Part 3 — My last chance to get my ITE course (46:14)

3. THE SCHOOL’S DIFFERENT APPROACH TO EDUCATION

Crest’s vocational curriculum, from culinary and restaurant operations to retail and e-commerce, is also where many students gain confidence and get a chance to shine.

“In a traditional classroom, they’ll find it boring,” said Izziana. “The profile of the students is such that they need to be moving.”

Valerie Shen is one such student who thrives in this environment. She finds her vocational subjects “very interesting” and appreciates how a small class size can result in “more attention from the teachers”.

Students also go through the Industry Experiential Programme, a four-week work attachment for Secondary 3 students. This real-world exposure complements their vocational modules, ensuring that they graduate with both an N-Level certificate and the ITE Skills Subject Certificate.

When Valerie was assigned to a Victoria’s Secret shop, she initially felt disappointed and anxious about her posting. For an introvert, the idea of interacting with customers and demonstrating product knowledge was intimidating.

“I’m only a 15-year-old kid who doesn’t know anything,” she said.

But the attachment turned out to be a transformative experience as she slowly found the courage to engage with customers. And when she made her first sale, she called it a “big achievement”.

Reflecting on how she has changed, Valerie said she felt more confident to talk to people because she had “gained a lot of experience”.

However big or small the improvements that students show, these are celebrated to help them see their progress.

Take Liang En, whose behaviour initially posed a challenge in the classroom. Through his teachers’ affirmations and opportunities given to him to lead his peers, he became more composed over the year and learned to channel his strengths more productively.

That is why his teachers picked him for Crest’s Star award. It is an award based on the school values, meant to recognise Secondary 1 students’ good performance.

“Liang En isn’t as loud as before. … He’s not that impulsive any more,” said Izziana. “He’s changed so much (for) the better despite … needing the reminders.

“He might (just) need time to shine.”

Life at Crest is not just about academic learning — as its teachers attest — but also about students coming into their own.

And as Yan Lin got her N-Level results, she said: “This school has opened up a lot of opportunities for me to pursue … to have achievements that can help me in the future.

“I feel like now I’m one step closer to … getting what I want.”

Watch the series Inside Crest Secondary here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.