Everything on How National Exams Like PSLE Will be Conducted During This COVID-19 Period

It’s okay to take public transport, even without safe distancing, because it’s classified as transient contact.

Fair enough.

But what about the Primary School Leaving Exams (PSLE)?

Well, turns out, if you’re a P6 kid and hoping that your PSLE gets cancelled like your dad’s ICT:

I’ve got bad news for you: PSLE, as well as other national level exams, will go on, Covid-19 pandemic or not.

Everything on How National Exams Like PSLE Will be Conducted During This COVID-19 Period

The first question is: why?

Why are the exams going to continue?

The reason is, MOE’s director-general of education Wong Siew Hoong said, national-level exams determine the next step of your educational journey and is an important milestone you have to attain before moving on.

Here’s the timeline of the exams:

• PSLE will start on 1 Oct and end on 7 Oct 2020.
• GCE ‘N’ level will start on 14 Sep and end on 16 Oct 2020.
• The GCE ‘O’ level will start on 10 Oct and end on 12 Nov 2020.
• And the GCE ‘A’ level will start on 26 Oct and end on 2 Dec 2020.

Safety Measures

Unlike public transport where you (technically) spend lesser than an hour, PSLE exams are more time-intensive.

Meaning they’re no longer “transient contact”.

Which is why the end-of-year exams will continue, but with safe management measures in place.

These measures include:

• Temperature taking
• Visual screening of candidates
• Designated toilets or staggered toilet breaks
• Separated entry and exit
• Staggered dismissal

Candidates are also required to wear a face mask when reporting to their exam venues, although they’re allowed to switch to a face shield when seated at their table.

Anytime they leave their seats, either to go home or to go to the toilet, they must switch back to the face mask.

Seating Arrangements

Each classroom is limited to 30 students and students will be seated 1.5m apart.

For students who are taking their exams in larger venues like the school hall, the hall will have to be separated into zones spaced at least three metres apart.

Each zone is also limited to 50 students.

Study Break

The Ministry of Education (MOE) also urges schools to give students who are taking national-level exams a study break before the exams.

Reason being, if there is a Covid-19 case in school, lesser students will be affected.

Affected how? Well, for one, you might not be able to take the exams.

Students Who Have Covid-19 Or Asked To Go Into Isolation Cannot Take Exams

There are only two types of students who do not have to take the exams.

The first is those who are infected with Covid-19.

The second are those who are placed on SHN, quarantine or a leave of absence (LOA).

Remember the case where a student was infected with Covid-19?

Around 70 students and staff members (who were verified to be close contacts of the earlier case) had to be tested and isolated while waiting for results.

Now you get why they want a study break.

Exceptions

But there are exceptions to this.

If a student is placed on SHN because he went overseas on compassionate leave (someone in his family died), his case could be assessed, and if deemed safe enough, he’ll have to take the papers in isolation.

Also, if a student is placed on a leave of absence because someone in the family has flu-like symptoms, they’ll be allowed to sit for the exam with enhanced safety measures.

Temporary Removal Of Age Limit For Active Screening

Currently, people in Singapore aged 13 and above has to undergo a swab test the first time they visit a doctor for Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI).

But from 17 Sep, exactly 14 days before PSLE starts, students who are taking the PSLE will have to be swabbed when they see a doctor for ARI for the first time.

Students do not have to bear the cost of the test as long as they visit a polyclinic or a PHPC clinic.

Pretty drastic, considering that previously, the reason why students under 13 do not have to be swabbed is because it’s could be too uncomfortable for them.

What Happens To Students Who Are Unable To Take The Exam

Will they have to stay back a year?

Not necessarily.

According to MOE, these students will be examined on a “case-by-case” basis, and if found eligible, they’ll be given “special considerations”.

Basically, the students’ various factors will be taken into account and a fair grade will be given to them.

Factors include:

• Performance in other papers of the same subject
• Cohort’s performance in the same subject

As for why students are not allowed to take their exams at home?

Well, various universities across Singapore has switched to a home-based examination and so far, many problems have cropped up.

Maybe.