Whether a child finishes first or last will no longer be indicated in primary & secondary school report books from next year - a move which Education Minister Ong Ye Kung hopes will show students that "learning is not a competition".
Report books will not just stop showing a student's position in relation to class or cohort. The information to be dropped includes:
- Class and level mean
- Minimum and maximum marks
- Underlining and/or colouring of failing marks
- Pass/fail for end-of-year result
- Mean subject grades
- Overall total marks
- L1R5 (English plus five relevant subjects), L1R4 , EMB3 (English, maths, best three subjects) and EMB1 for lower secondary levels
The Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Friday (Sept 28) that the change is to allow each student to focus on his or her learning progress and discourage them from being overly concerned about comparisons.
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Is academic competition really necessary to be the best than we can be?
As the Ministry of Education’s efforts to dial back the over-emphasis on exam results are being applauded by some, there are others who feel it is a mistake.
Last week, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung again outlined moves such as changing the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) scoring system.
From 2021, the PSLE T-score system will be replaced with wider “achievement levels” - a change which he called a "big step" in reducing academic stress & helping students enjoy learning more.
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Parents issue mixed report card for latest changes to education scene
While some parents & students are cheering the latest move by the Education Ministry (MOE) to cut back on examinations, other parents are concerned that the changes will make it difficult to track their child’s progress, & might even lead to complacency.
Another change that divided parents is the one where a student’s position in class & at their cohort’s level — determined by their academic performance — will no longer be reflected in their report books.
On Fri (Sep 28), the MOE announced a raft of changes aimed at reducing emphasis on grades, including the removal of mid-year examinations in phases from next year onwards for students in Primary 3, Pri 5, Secondary 1 and Sec 3. All students from Pri 3 to Sec 4 or Sec 5 will also not have more than one weighted assessment per subject per school term.
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Singapore must take a long-term perspective to survive in a changing world: Ong Ye Kung
A small state like Singapore has to take the long-term view when it comes to crafting its policies, in order to survive, said Education Minister Ong Ye Kung on Fri evening (Sep 14).
This is despite a worldwide trend of politics and governance becoming more short-term & populist.
Speaking at the opening of the Singapore Summit which is organised by non-profit organisation Temasek Foundation Connects, he outlined the Government's long-term strategies in 4 areas: Infrastructure, the economy, an ageing population and education.
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Dealing with two paradoxes of Singapore's education system
Mr Ong Ye Kung says there are so many opinions on education because it is close to Singaporeans' hearts & it affects the closest people in our lives – our children.
There is no contradiction between meritocracy & fairness, nor reducing inequality and raising Singapore’s collective standards, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Wednesday (July 11), adding that this is why the Republic should continue its efforts to uplift those at the bottom.
Speaking in Parliament during a debate on a motion on "Education for our future", he added that it is important for Singaporeans to have broad agreement around these fundamentals in developing an education system to better prepare children for the future.
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Here are the 3 massive changes coming to Primary and Secondary schools to push society to look ‘beyond exam results’
Many perceive Singapore as a grades-obsessed, paper-chasing country, & the Ministry of Education (MOE) wants to change that.
In a press release issued on Fri (Sep 28), MOE announced changes to the school-based assessment structures at the Primary and Secondary levels. We have compiled a list of the major changes that will come into effect in 2019:
- No exams or any grades-related assessments for Primary One and Two students
- No Mid-Year-Examinations during ‘transition years’
- No more class or cohort ranking in ‘report books’, plus other academic indicators
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Changes to school assessment: What you need to know
Schools will cut down on examinations across different levels, in an effort to move away from an overemphasis on academic results.
From next year, all exams & weighted assessments that count towards a final grade for Primary 1 and 2 pupils will be removed, and mid-year exams at the Primary 3 & 5 as well as Secondary 1 and 3 levels - which are key transition years - will be scrapped.
- What is the difference between weighted assessments and non-weighted assessments?
- What are the key transition stages for students in primary and secondary education and why do we need to pay attention to the transition?
- With the mid-year exams removed for Primary 3, Primary 5, Sec 1 and Sec 3 - will this raise the stakes of the year-end examination?
- There are some schools that have already done away with continual assessments and mid-year exams for all levels.
- At Primary 1, 2, 3, 5 and Sec 1 and 3 - what will schools put in place to replace mid-year exams and weighted assessments?
- Will students' readiness for the national exams be reduced?
- How will a student's academic progress be measured if there are completely no exams and weighted assessments at Primary 1 and 2?
- Will the removal of all weighted assessments for Primary 1 and 2 students risk over-correcting the school-based assessment load?
- How will schools ensure the quality of teaching and learning?
- What kind of support will MOE/schools be rendering to parents to help them better understand the changes to school-based assessments?
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No more exams for P1, P2 students from 2019
In sweeping moves designed to move away from the narrow focus on examinations and grades, Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) will be cutting down on school examinations, particularly mid-year exams during transitional years for students.
From next year, there will be neither assessments nor exams for Primary 1 and 2 pupils, said MOE in a press release on Friday (28 September). Teachers will conduct discussions and quizzes to gauge their pupils’ learning progress, and there will be no grades given. There will still be homework.
Presently, pupils from both levels have to take weighted assessments, while Primary 2 pupils also have to take a year-end exam.
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Changes made, now the next challenge: Transforming mindset of parents, teachers and students
The removal of certain exams and graded assessments are a step in the right direction, said educators, industry professionals and Members of Parliament (MPs), but they stressed that parents, teachers & students have to change their mindset in order for the society to overcome its fixation with academic grades.
On Fri (Sep 28), the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced sweeping changes to school-based assessments for primary & secondary students in an attempt to reduce an emphasis on grades. Aside from doing away with some exams and graded tests from next year for students at selected levels, report cards will no longer reflect students’ class and level positions as well as overall scores.
MP Denise Phua, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Education, said that while the measures are aligned with the MOE’s direction to reduce excessive focus on academic results, “more and deeper work will have to be done on transforming the mindset of parents, & even some educators and students themselves”.
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Parents laud MOE's push to go beyond exams, grades but hope more can be done
The move to shift away from academic results by having fewer exams in primary & secondary schools has been commended by parents Channel NewsAsia spoke to as a “good first step”.
However, they pointed out that it is still too early to tell if the move will truly make a difference in reducing the over-emphasis on grades. They added that even though the changes will be implemented progressively from next year, they hoped that at the school level, more details would be given about how the changes would be carried out.
On Fri (Sep 28), the Education Ministry (MOE) announced that all weighted assessments - which could take the form of class tests, presentations or group projects - would be removed for all Primary 1 and 2 students from next year.
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MOE cuts exams in schools to reduce over-emphasis on academic results
Building on efforts to move away from an over-emphasis on academic results, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will be adjusting school-based assessment structures at the Primary and Secondary levels from 2019. To meet the challenges of an increasingly complex world, our students need to be lifelong learners. To nurture lifelong learners, we need to help our students discover more joy and develop stronger intrinsic motivation in learning.
The adjustments to reduce school-based assessment load and perceived examination stakes aim to free up more time and space in schools to strengthen holistic development, self-discovery and engaged learning. These changes will provide more opportunities for student-centred teaching and learning approaches. This lays the groundwork for nurturing life-long learning attitudes and skills.
Schools will be making changes to school-based assessments in primary and secondary schools, to provide students with adequate time and space to adjust during the key transition stages. For the older students, it will also allow them more time to adjust to new subjects, and/or higher content rigour and expectations. These changes will be effected in stages.
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Singapore’s Education System To Go Through Major Restructuring
The recent “Life Beyond Grades” movement is the latest to tackle the issue of Singapore’s excessive emphasis on grades.
And after years of pleas from parents and teachers, it seems that the Ministry of Education is finally giving in. On Friday (28 Sep), MOE announced sweeping changes to Singapore’s education system. And there will be more in the future: Education Minister Ong Ye Kung shared that a similar review of assessments in Junior Colleges will be held soon.
These changes follow an earlier review of polytechnics and ITEs in March. So what were the big changes to Singapore’s education system? MustShareNews breaks them down:
- No weighted tests and exams for Primary 1 & 2
- No mid-year exams for Secondary 1
- No mid-year exams for Primary 3 & 5 and Secondary 3
- Result slips
- Mixed ability classes
- Edusave awards
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MOE Removes All Assessments and Exams for Pri 1 and 2 Students
Explaining the change, MOE said these are “transition years”, during which students will be exposed to new subjects and higher content rigour, and students should be given adequate time and space to adjust to increased curriculum demands.
MOE has also announced that whether a child finishes first or last will no longer be indicated in primary and secondary school report books from next year. The aim of the move is to encourage students to focus on their own learning, instead of the competition.
These initiatives were announced by Education Minister Ong Ye Kung earlier this week at the annual Workplan Seminar, and are part of the MOE’s new focus – “Learn for Life Preparing Our Students To Excel Beyond Exam Results”.
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Full Coverage:
Fewer exam assessments schools reduce emphasis on academic results
Move to remove exams at Primary 2 level draws mixed reactions
5 key changes to exams and assessments in schools
Fewer exams, assessments,schools reduce emphasis on academic result
Changes made, now the next challenge: Transforming mindset of parents
No more exams for P1, P2 students from 2019: Ministry of Education
Edusave award criteria for lower primary pupils shift grades to attitudes
Report books will not indicate students' level & class positions next yr
Parents laud MOE's go beyond exams, grades but hope more can be done
MOE announces sweeping changes to reduce emphasis on grades
Teachers, principals welcome reduction in school assessments
Move to remove exams at Primary 2 level draws mixed reactions
MOE cuts exams in schools to reduce over-emphasis on academic results
Changes to school assessment: What you need to know
Primary & Secondary schools to push society to look ‘beyond exam results’
Schools to cut mid-year exams; Primary 1 and 2 pupils will not be graded
5 key changes to exams and assessments in schools
Transforming mindset of parents, teachers and students
MOE announces sweeping changes to reduce emphasis on grades
S’pore shouldn’t overcorrect education system and undermine its rigour
'Learning is not a competition': No more 1st, 2nd or last in class for
Fewer exams for students, less emphasis on grades
Schools to cut mid-year exams for several levels; Primary 1 and 2
Primary and secondary schools to cut down on exams and tests, as
The next steps to learning for life
Parents issue mixed report card for latest changes to education scene
Rankings need to evolve and evaluate wider impact of unis: Ong Ye
Ranking system for universities should go 'way beyond publications
Singapore must take a long-term perspective to survive in a changing
Long term planning necessary for Singapore to thrive
Is academic competition really necessary to be the best ...
Cmbating the culture of comparison with the release of PSLE results
The struggle parents face in picking a “good school” for their child
Are we missing the point of education? A commentary.
The education system is changing but is true change still elusive?
Minister Ong Ye Kung outlines key principles on education system
Scrap PSLE? The Singapore education system is not a free lunch
Fewer exams, assessments in schools to reduce emphasis on academic
A commentary on retaining the PSLE.
Schools to cut mid-year exams for several levels
5 key changes to exams and assessments in schools
Parents must play a part in their children discover the joy of learning
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