Finding a lifeline after failing PSLE twice

After a rocky start in primary school, graphic designer Rachel Yeo never would have imagined finding a job that she loves. She credits her journey at Assumption Pathway School for allowing her to discover her life’s passion.  

By Arielene Wee

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Rachel Yeo had always loved drawing as a child, and it’s no wonder that the 28-year-old later went on to become a graphic designer. Her journey in getting there had not always been smooth sailing, but she credits her time at Assumption Pathway School (APS) for allowing her to discover and pursue her passion in design.  

“I only started using my first computer at 11 years old because my parents didn’t have a lot of money back then. When I joined APS, I started playing around with Microsoft Paint during Information and Communications Technology (ICT) classes and got really interested in it,” she says. “I went on to choose desktop publishing for my ITE Skills Certificate course, which is essentially graphic design.”  

Trying her hand first in baking, then design 

Rachel had enrolled into APS, a Specialised School that offers an experiential and hands-on learning approach, after failing her PSLE twice. She did not think she would be able to fit into the school initially, but this sentiment changed over time. 

“When I failed my PSLE again, I cried. All my friends went to a normal secondary school, while I ended up in what I thought was a school with a bad reputation,” Rachel shares. “I felt scared on my first day of school, and was even embarrassed to wear the uniform in public.”

As she went along, however, she found that she could relate to a lot of her schoolmates and started to enjoy school.

In her first year at APS, Rachel was given the opportunity to explore different vocational courses like cooking, hairdressing, baking and mechanical skills as part of the Skills Induction Programme. From Year 2 onwards, students had to choose a particular area to specialise in, as part of their ITE Skills Certificate (ISC) Course. Rachel picked baking, as all her other friends had picked that too. However, she was never really interested in it. When APS announced a new ISC Course in desktop publishing at the end of her second year, Rachel jumped at the opportunity.  

She explains, “I always liked art and drawing since young, so I was very keen on it. But everybody else also wanted to sign up for it; the interest was overwhelming.” 

After going through an interview and a design test, Rachel was one of 20 students selected for the course. By learning how to use software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, Rachel found her passion in graphic design.  

“Joining desktop publishing at APS was a life-changing moment for me because I discovered graphic design in depth and it fuelled my passion for it. If I had stayed on in the baking course, I don’t think I would have done very well,” she reflects.  

Working her way through university 

Rachel worked hard and performed well in her desktop publishing course. After graduating from APS, she went on to pursue her Nitec in Visual Communications at ITE, followed by her Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree in Design Communication at LASALLE College of the Arts.  

She shares that she had wanted to study in LASALLE ever since her form teacher at APS, Ms Marlinda Binte Mohamed Rof, introduced her to the school.  

“I tried applying for LASALLE even before I graduated from APS, but I wasn’t qualified to enrol without a Nitec qualification. I was frustrated that I had to take a longer route than my friends who were in the polytechnics. I had to enrol in ITE first, but even while studying there, I had made up my mind to eventually enter LASALLE.”  

While Rachel achieved her goal of getting into LASALLE, she admits that her journey there was a difficult one. “Going through LASALLE was the toughest time of my life because I really struggled with having to write research essays. It was very overwhelming and I almost wanted to quit school,” she says. With the help of her classmates who helped her through her coursework, she pushed through and managed to complete her degree.  

Her perseverance and determination was something she had picked up during her time at APS.  

Rachel shared that she constantly felt different as she did not attend a mainstream secondary school. “I was affected by this, but it drove me to work harder – I wanted to prove that I could do better,” she says. “As long as you don’t stop working hard, you can always go far.”