To provide a greater diversity of curricula while ensuring that students continue to benefit from a broad-based education, secondary schools, in collaboration with polytechnics, have begun offering Advanced Elective Modules (AEMs) under the guidance of the Ministry of Education since October 2006. Due to the changing educational landscape, AEMs are enhanced and  progressively rebranded as 3-day Applied Learning Modules At Polytechnics (ApLM@Poly).

ApLM@Poly (previously known as Advanced Elective Modules - AEM) are elective modules in applied areas that can enhance the learning experience of secondary school students through practice oriented approaches. The experience will also help them to discover their strengths and interests, experience polytechnic life, and expose them to possible post-secondary courses and careers.

Polytechnics offer ApLM@Poly from a variety of fields. Students will be exposed to learning approaches adopted in the polytechnics, which involve a higher practical component as well as more group work. ApLM@Poly also employ assessment approaches that are similar to those found in polytechnics, e.g. project work, group assignments and oral presentations.