The Ministry of Education has announced that it will cut all assessments and exams for students in Primary 1 and Primary 2 from next year.
Instead of exam and assessment results, teachers will use qualitative descriptors to report pupils’ learning.
Currently, Primary 1 students do not have exams, but weighted assessments are conducted throughout the year. Primary 2 students now have weighted assessments throughout the year, as well as a year-end exam.
In addition, Secondary 1 students will also no longer have a mid-year examination from next year, and from 2020 and 2021, mid-year exams will also be removed for Primary 3, Primary 5 and Secondary 3 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”.
