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8 Facts About the MOE Changes to S’pore Schools That’ll Start from 2019

2018-09-28 , 8:07 pm

Last Updated on 2018-12-24 , 3:10 pm

The Singapore education system, like it or not, is one of the best in the world.

Yeah, it’s stressful and whatnot, but its students come out top in PISA tests, pushing us to the first in global education rankings.

Though I don’t know why everyone in Goody Feed is still stupid AF despite being in the Singapore education system, but anyways.

Just like your girlfriend’s mood, the education system changes regularly. Anyone remembers EM1, EM2 and EM3? Anyone remembers having to go to school in the afternoon? Anyone remembers PSLE?

Okay, PSLE might still be fresh in our mind and students are still needed to take it, but by 2021, it would holding hands with the primary school streaming system and be relegated to be part of history.

Some changes are subtle, and recently, MOE announced major changes that would change the system altogether.

Okay, maybe not that drastic, but anyways.

Here are eight facts about these changes.

Why the change?

It’s apparently MOE’s (continuing) efforts to “move away from an over-emphasis on academic result”, i.e. prevent parents and student from been too obsessed with A’s.

Or i.e. to prevent parents and students from being too stressful.

The goal is to push students to be lifelong learners. In other words, they shouldn’t just see primary and secondary school periods as the days when they absorb new information: they should always be learning even when they’re 50 years old.

Good move, MOE.

What Students are Affected?

The changes would affect all students in MOE primary and secondary schools (primarily the P1 and P2 students; read on and you’ll understand). Those in private schools won’t be affected since they have their own system.

What’re the changes?

There are three key changes, namely

Reducing the Number of School-Based Assessments
Refreshing the Holistic Development Profile
Revising the Criteria of Edusave Academic Awards for Lower Primary

Ahh…cheem. But no worries, Goody Feed is here to simplify it for you, one by one.

Because we’re good like that. But before that…

When would the changes be implemented?

Unlike the change in PSLE that’ll only take place a few years after it was announced, these changes would be implemented from 2019: that is, a few months from now. By 2021, the changes would have been fully implemented.

Reducing the Number of School-Based Assessments

School-based assessments basically refer to exams. We’re all used to having exams every year, but here’re the changes that’ll kick in from 2019:

Primary 1 and Primary 2 students would not have any exams at all (WOW!!1!!)
Primary 3, Primary 5, Sec 1 and Sec 3 won’t have exams in the middle of the year as they are exposed to new subjects. Sec 1’s removal would start from 2019 while the others would start progressively from 2019 to 2021
Other than the mid-year and end-year exams, there shouldn’t be more than one more exam per subject

Simply put? Less exams for our students.

Parents should be breathing a sigh of relief #justsaying

Refreshing the Holistic Development Profile

Okay, what the heck is this?

Here’s the low-SES term for Holistic Development Profile: It’s our report book lah.

Back in my school days, I’ve always wanted to check if I perform better than my crush, since our ranking is always indicated in the book. She always crushed me, though.

Guess what? The ranking would be removed so people wouldn’t compare and feel pressured.

Not sure about you, but I think this idea is lit, man.

Revising the Criteria of Edusave Academic Awards for Lower Primary

AHH…if you didn’t know what this is, then you’re not a top student in school ;P

Basically, students can get these awards and go up a stage to shake hands with an MP every year if their results are outstanding.

However, with no exams in Primary 1 and 2, how would we know who to give the awards to?

According to MOE, students would be assessed based on “diligence, curiosity, collaboration and enthusiasm in daily lessons and learning activities.”

P3 onwards and it’ll revert to the usual system (i.e. top students in lower income families).

In other words, teachers teaching P1 and P2 would have more work to do le (have to assess the awardees instead of just giving them to the top students).

More Facts in a Chart

If you’re a parent and want more information instead of these rubbishy writings from Goody Feed, here’s a more comprehensive chart:

Pretty useful, if you’d ask me.

In the meantime, let me cry at one corner because why I last time so many exams one?!