Frequently Asked Questions

• What is OBS?
• The Online Bidding System (OBS) is a system designed for you to select and bid for your favourite sabbatical course. Students with the top bids will secure a place in their preferred sabbatical course.
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• How do I login?
• The username and password is identical with that of the school network log-in. The OBS log-in page will be provided on the EMB when the date of bidding draws near.
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• How many bid points do I get?
• At the start of each school year, every student will have 1000 bid points credited into their bid account. Bonus points, based on the previous term’s or previous year’s MSG, will be added into their acoount for each new sabbatical term.
  
  Unused bid points will be carried forward to the following sabbatical term.
  
  Each new sabbatical term will have total bid points made up of the remaining bid points plus new bonus points from the previous term’ s MSG.
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• What is the logic for including bonus points?
• To reward students who have worked hard and achieved good results in their academic work. Such students not only stand to participate in the sabbaticals, they will also have more bid points to bid for their favourite course.
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• What is the bonus points structure like?
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• MSG	Awarded
  msg <= 1.50	200
  1.50 < msg <= 2.00	150
  2.00 < msg <= 3.00	100
  3.00 < msg <= 3.50	50
  otherwise	0

  
  

  CCA Grade	Awarded
  A*	200
  A	150
  B	100
  C	50
  otherwise	0

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• How do I bid?
• There will be several choices available.
  
  From the drop-down list box, select the course. Then type in the bid amount.
  
  Bid amount cannot exceed the total available bid points (i.e. remaining bid points + bonus points).
  
  Bid amount cannot contain decimal places, nor alphabets, etc.
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• Can I retract, increase, cancel or decrease a bid after submission?
• No. Once submitted, no changes are allowed. You are advised to bid responsibly and wisely. And your bid is secret.
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• How will I be notified of the results of my bid?
• After Round 1 of the bidding exercise, an email will be sent to you to inform you whether you are successful in the bidding.
  
  If you are unsuccessful, you will be invited to go on to Round 2 to bid again. The bid points will be returned to you.
  
  If you again unsuccessful in Round 2, you will be informed via email to look up the Sabbatical Manager for manual placement of a course.
  
  Take note that for administration purposes, only the school email is accepted on the bidding page.
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• How are the points deducted?
• The bid points will be deducted according to the amount that you have entered for your successful course.
  
  
• Will points be deducted for special arrangements?
• Yes. Here are the details:
  
  400 bid points will be deducted for students who are:
  • trainers
  • co-trainers
  
  500 bid points will be deducted for students who are
  • on a pre-booked course
  • on attachment
  • on an exchange programme
  • taking remedials
  • unable to attend the sabbaticals for other reasons
  • enrolled into compulsory courses (e.g. leadership course)
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