WHILE her peers have moved on to Secondary 3, 14-year-old Ma Yue Ru will be repeating Secondary 2 this year.

This is not because she failed her exams but it's the aspiring ballerina's choice because she wanted to study at the new School of the Arts(Sota) which took in its pioneer batch of 139 Secondary 1 and 100 Secondary 2 students at its temporary Goodman Road campus on Wednesday.

The school was first mooted in 2002 when a review of secondary and junior college (JC) education felt that it would be in line with Singapore's effort to become a cultural hub.

Sota aims to fill the gap in dedicated arts education for youths, because arts and music electives are available only at some secondary schools and junior colleges.

At the school's opening on Wednesday, Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts Dr Lee Boon Yang said Singapore is evolving into an innovation-driven economy powered by a creative society.

'We hope that many Sota graduates will become luminaries on the artistic stage and leaders in many other spheres of life,' he said.

Dr Lee also announced a $12 million donation by Ngee Ann Kongsi to be used over six years to fund scholarships and bursaries for students.

The scholarship, valued at $4,800 to $6,400, will be given to students with outstanding artistic talents and academic results and strong leadership potential. It covers the monthly $350 school fee, book and other learning materials.

There are five recipients so far, and Yue Ru is one of them.

Said the middle child of an engineer and an accountant who has been learning ballet since she was four: 'I'm glad to get the scholarship. My parents have spent a lot on ballet for me, for example, my pointe shoes cost $40 a pair and they last about one month.'

On her decision to repeat a year, the former Singapore Chinese Girls' student who hopes to teach ballet in future, said: 'It was a difficult decision especially since I would have to leave my schoolmates. But I thought it's a good chance to pursue my passion and get a pre-university education at the same time,' she said.

The school will offer a six-year integrated arts and academic curriculum leading to an International Baccalaureate diploma.

Said Principal Rebecca Chew: 'The school's curriculum marries academic rigour and an artistic way of learning.

'I'm extremely excited. It marks the journey from an idea to a community and that's a milestone.

'Today also signals the next chapter of another long trek forward where the real core business in teaching and learning will be happening,' she said.