Majority Of Primary & Secondary Schools in S’pore To Scrap Mid-Year Exams By 2020

“I wish there were no exams.”

Remember saying that in school as you dread the upcoming exams?

Well, it seems like part of your wish has been granted.

Although, if you are reading this, I’m guessing primary and secondary school were a long time ago for you. Amirite.

In September 2018, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced that schools were to cut mid-year examinations for a few levels by 2021 for all schools.

This decision was made in an effort to reduce the stress that students face in school and to reinstate the joy of learning.

2 Years ahead of Schedule 

It seems like this policy change by MOE is so favoured by schools around Singapore that some schools have already implemented the change two years ahead of schedule. (I can hear the students cheering all over Singapore)

This year, some students from primary and secondary school have already enjoyed the freedom of not having mid-year exams.

Also, it is reported that by next year, at least half of the primary schools have removed mid year exams for Primary 1, 2 and 5.

Similarly, 9 out of 10 secondary schools would have scrapped the secondary 3 mid-year examinations.

Remember, these changes were supposed to be made by 2021. Next year’s only 2020.

Lest you didn’t come into our app daily (WHY!?), another change is that MOE seeks to remove Normal Technical, Normal and Express streaming.

Students will now be banded based on subject. You know how in school you were really good at English and Math but you sucked at Chinese and Science so you were put in a slower class?

Now, you can study at the pace that suits you best in each subject. This method of banding will be tested in 2020 and rolled out in 2024.

Good

Some people are celebrating the end of mid-term exams because this means that they will have less stress throughout the year. Somewhere along the way, meritocracy became a stressful factor rather than an opportunity to climb up the ladder of society. It was a rat race for each child to study hard and get better grades than their peers.

It has been reported that students are already benefiting from the change in examination structure.

Why didn’t they make the change ten years ago…:-(