Schools to cut mid-year exams for several levels; Primary 1 and 2 pupils will not be graded
By Sandra Davie, Senior Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
Mid-year examinations for Primary 3 and 5 pupils, as well as for Secondary 1 and 3 students, will be scrapped over the next three years.
As part of the Ministry of Education's (MOE) latest set of efforts to move away from a narrow focus on grades and help children discover the joy of learning, the first two years of primary school will also be test-free from next year.
And to stress the message that learning is not a competition, report books will no longer include the class and level rankings at both primary and secondary levels.
Even aggregate scores, used for post O-level postings, will not be reflected at the lower secondary level to avoid preoccupation with grades.
These changes were described by Education Minister Ong Ye Kung as another step towards improving the balance between the joy of learning and education standards.
"We are at a strong position of rigour and can afford to unwind a bit without undermining the performance outcomes," he said at a press conference yesterday, pointing to how Singapore students already rate highly in international rankings.
The latest changes will also give teachers more space to explore new ways of making learning enjoyable and lasting. He said: "On the ground, teachers are on a high-speed train... rushing, assessments and preparing the students for exams... I think it is time to take a pause."
MOE said cutting the mid-year examinations will provide students with more time to adjust during "key transition" years, when they have to study new subjects and deal with higher content rigour. It will also free up about three weeks of curriculum time every two years.
In a speech to school heads earlier this week when he briefed them on the changes, Mr Ong urged educators to use the time well.
For instance, a pupil can be spoon-fed the formula on how to calculate area. "It can be done in a short time," he said. "But in an inquiry approach, we will ask children, how do you find out the area of the field, and have them discuss and brainstorm."
This may take more time, but pupils are "more likely to remember and enjoy the lesson", he said.
Mr Ong said that moves over the last few years, from not naming the top Primary School Leaving Examination scorers to the reform of the PSLE scoring system which kicks in in 2021, are all part of a new phase in Singapore's education system, which he termed "Learn for Life".
"Learn for Life is a value, an attitude and a skill that our students need to possess, and it is fundamental in ensuring that education remains an uplifting force in society."
Some parents were concerned over the changes, especially how it will be harder to gauge their children's performance against their peers' as report books will no longer show rankings and mean scores.
"It is important we know where our children stand," said Madam Grace Chua, 37. The business development manager has a son in Primary 3 and a daughter turning two.
For the shift to succeed, Mr Ong said, MOE needs to "bring the most important stakeholder - parents - on board" and convince them that the changes do not compromise on academic standards.
Schools also need to engage parents differently, he added.
Instead of telling parents that their children have to get their homework done or comparing results with those of their classmates, the question that matters, said Mr Ong, is: "What makes your child's eyes light up?"
For instance, a pupil can be spoon-fed the formula on how to calculate area. "It can be done in a short time," he said. "But in an inquiry approach, we will ask children, how do you find out the area of the field, and have them discuss and brainstorm."
This may take more time, but pupils are "more likely to remember and enjoy the lesson", he said.
Mr Ong said that moves over the last few years, from not naming the top Primary School Leaving Examination scorers to the reform of the PSLE scoring system which kicks in in 2021, are all part of a new phase in Singapore's education system, which he termed "Learn for Life".
"Learn for Life is a value, an attitude and a skill that our students need to possess, and it is fundamental in ensuring that education remains an uplifting force in society."
Some parents were concerned over the changes, especially how it will be harder to gauge their children's performance against their peers' as report books will no longer show rankings and mean scores.
"It is important we know where our children stand," said Madam Grace Chua, 37. The business development manager has a son in Primary 3 and a daughter turning two.
For the shift to succeed, Mr Ong said, MOE needs to "bring the most important stakeholder - parents - on board" and convince them that the changes do not compromise on academic standards.
Schools also need to engage parents differently, he added.
Instead of telling parents that their children have to get their homework done or comparing results with those of their classmates, the question that matters, said Mr Ong, is: "What makes your child's eyes light up?"
No exams in P1, P2: Progress will be measured in other ways
By Jolene Ang, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said earlier this week at the annual Schools Work Plan Seminar: "We know that teaching and learning comprise three important components - curricular goals and content, pedagogy and assessment, and together they form a triangle.
"Today, the three components are not balanced. As we overemphasised assessment, we inadvertently reduced the time available for schools to focus on teaching and learning. We need to redress this balance."
Educators said bite-sized assessments would give them a more holistic understanding of pupils' progress. The two exam-free years would also allow them to reflect and explore the way they teach.
Madam Siti Farhaana, year head for lower primary at Anchor Green Primary School, said: "Freeing up these two years means more time for experiential learning to take place. There will be more space and opportunities for pupils to discover their strengths, interests and improve in their areas of weaknesses."
Mr Dominic Sy, year head of the Primary 1 and 2 levels at Henry Park Primary School, said teachers would be able to "explore curriculum innovation that will further cater to the needs of our pupils and heighten their joy of learning".
Parents said the removal of exams should mean less stress for their young children who are getting used to the formal school system.
Said Mrs Dadina Wong, 42, whose son will start Primary 1 in Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) next year: "I am comforted (to hear of the change). Maybe we don't have to send him for tuition - we can revise slowly with him in our own time."
However, some parents raised the concern that without a proper benchmark, they might be unable to gauge their children's standards.
Mrs Cheryl Sim, 49, who has a Primary 1 son in Tao Nan School, said: "In Primary 1, it is good not to have exams so the kids can adjust to a new learning environment. But once they are in Primary 2, it might actually be good to have a formal assessment of how they are doing."
Report books: No class and cohort positions
No more 1st, 2nd or last in class for primary and secondary students
Such indicators will be removed from next year to discourage excessive comparison
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
Who finishes first, second or last will no longer be indicated in primary and 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".
In addition to not showing a student's position in relation to class or cohort, other academic indicators such as students' mean subject grades and maximum and minimum marks across the class as well as cohort will be a thing of the past.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday that the changes are meant to allow each student to focus on his or her learning progress and discourage them from making excessive comparisons.
But this has left some parents, such as Madam Grace Chua, 37, worried that they would not be able to gauge where their child stands in relation to his or her peers.
The business development manager and mother of a Primary 3 boy and a daughter turning two said: "I am all for removing class and cohort positions, but it is necessary to know the mean score, or minimum and maximum scores, so that parents have a certain benchmark.
"There are good passes, and there are bad passes. It is important that we know where our children stand."
Madam Karen Lim, 41, who works in the banking sector and has two children in primary school, said: "Even if the school doesn't tell us, I am sure teachers will know who the stronger students are, and if mindsets don't change, students will keep comparing between themselves."
In an address to about 1,700 school leaders earlier this week, Mr Ong said: "I know that coming in first or second, in class or level, has traditionally been a proud recognition of a student's achievement. But removing these indicators is for a good reason, so that the child understands from a young age that learning is not a competition, but a self-discipline you need to master for life.
No more 1st, 2nd or last in class for primary and secondary students
Such indicators will be removed from next year to discourage excessive comparison
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
Who finishes first, second or last will no longer be indicated in primary and 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".
In addition to not showing a student's position in relation to class or cohort, other academic indicators such as students' mean subject grades and maximum and minimum marks across the class as well as cohort will be a thing of the past.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday that the changes are meant to allow each student to focus on his or her learning progress and discourage them from making excessive comparisons.
But this has left some parents, such as Madam Grace Chua, 37, worried that they would not be able to gauge where their child stands in relation to his or her peers.
The business development manager and mother of a Primary 3 boy and a daughter turning two said: "I am all for removing class and cohort positions, but it is necessary to know the mean score, or minimum and maximum scores, so that parents have a certain benchmark.
"There are good passes, and there are bad passes. It is important that we know where our children stand."
Madam Karen Lim, 41, who works in the banking sector and has two children in primary school, said: "Even if the school doesn't tell us, I am sure teachers will know who the stronger students are, and if mindsets don't change, students will keep comparing between themselves."
In an address to about 1,700 school leaders earlier this week, Mr Ong said: "I know that coming in first or second, in class or level, has traditionally been a proud recognition of a student's achievement. But removing these indicators is for a good reason, so that the child understands from a young age that learning is not a competition, but a self-discipline you need to master for life.
"Notwithstanding, the report book should still contain some form of yardstick and information to allow students to judge their relative performance, and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses."
Other information to be dropped from report books will be students' L1R5 or L1R4 scores - which are based on results of subjects. These will not be reflected for the lower secondary levels.
Failing marks will also not be coloured or underlined, and a student's final pass or fail result will not be shown.
Marks for each subject will be kept, but rounded off and presented as whole numbers, without decimal points - to reduce the focus on academic scores.
Other aspects like conduct, form teacher comments, physical fitness records, school attendance and community and co-curricular activity involvement will be retained.
National Institute of Education don Jason Tan said the changes to the report books are in line with MOE's shift in policy rhetoric - to move away from being "extrinsically motivated" to do well to having a genuine interest in learning.
"With fewer exams, schools will have to develop other ways of informing parents about their children's progress and give them a more detailed picture of their learning experiences, besides cursory remarks from teachers about examination results and personal conduct."
Parent Lim Wee Ming, who has three children in primary and secondary schools, believes the changes will reduce stress among school-going kids.
"Not knowing your class or cohort position is good. For weaker students, it will help not to lower their self-esteem even more."
The 43-year-old, who works in the enrichment sector, added: "There is really no need for comparisons, which just add to stress."
Fewer exams: Time freed up for other learning activities
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
At Henry Park Primary School, pupils do not have continual assessments (CAs) or examinations at the end of some terms.
Since 2014, the school has done away with CAs for Primary 3 to 6 pupils, replacing them with short quizzes for each subject to evaluate pupils' learning, along with class assignments.
The pupils still take mid-year and final-year exams.
Its principal Martin Koh said time is then freed up during the terms for pupils to conduct scientific experiments and develop traits like creativity. For instance, the school runs a five-week programme called Young Investigator Project for pupils to design their own projects and carry out research.
"Such projects take time, and I find that because they are not graded, the children take risks, learn from mistakes, and this deepens teaching and learning," said Mr Koh.
Henry Park Primary is one of several schools that have cut down on exams of their own accord in recent years.
Others, like Anchor Green Primary School, Queenstown Primary School, Woodlands Ring Secondary School and St Patrick's School, have replaced CAs with smaller assessments such as topical tests and class projects and quizzes to evaluate students' learning.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced yesterday that schools will cut down on examinations across different levels in the coming years, in an effort to move away from an overemphasis on academic results.
From next year, all examinations and assessments that count towards a final grade for Primary 1 and 2 pupils will be removed, and mid-year examinations at the Primary 3, Primary 5, Secondary 1 and Secondary 3 levels - which are key transition years - will be scrapped.
The changes will free up about three weeks of curriculum time every two years, said MOE.
In a speech earlier this week, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung told school leaders: "There is nothing wrong with having examinations and class tests, but we need to use them in suitable quantities.
"By all means, use formative tools such as worksheets, class work and homework to gauge learning outcomes and the strengths of each child... Our focus is to return the curriculum time to the schools to free up learning and teaching."
Parents said that while removing mid-year exams will relieve some stress, they wondered if it would end up shifting the pressure to the final-year assessments.
Some felt that it might be harder to know where their child stands with no Primary 3 mid-year paper on top of not having exams and overall grades in Primary 1 and 2.
Madam Karen Lim, 41, a banker with a Primary 1 daughter and Primary 5 son, said: "It is good that I won't have to stress so much over preparing for exams, but my worry is that they become too relaxed in the first two years, and then panic at the end of Primary 3.
"At the end of the day, they are still taking a very major exam - the Primary School Leaving Examination - and that is crucial for secondary school placement."
But Madam Karen Kang, 51, believes that there is room in schools for other activities beyond tests and exams.
The housewife said that her Secondary 3 son and Primary 6 daughter benefited from Henry Park Primary's scrapping of continual assessments.
"We still get feedback from smaller tests which flag areas of weakness," she said, adding that her daughter had the chance to be part of an investigative project that saw her making presentations, working in a team and testing theories.
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
Since 2014, the school has done away with CAs for Primary 3 to 6 pupils, replacing them with short quizzes for each subject to evaluate pupils' learning, along with class assignments.
The pupils still take mid-year and final-year exams.
Its principal Martin Koh said time is then freed up during the terms for pupils to conduct scientific experiments and develop traits like creativity. For instance, the school runs a five-week programme called Young Investigator Project for pupils to design their own projects and carry out research.
"Such projects take time, and I find that because they are not graded, the children take risks, learn from mistakes, and this deepens teaching and learning," said Mr Koh.
Henry Park Primary is one of several schools that have cut down on exams of their own accord in recent years.
Others, like Anchor Green Primary School, Queenstown Primary School, Woodlands Ring Secondary School and St Patrick's School, have replaced CAs with smaller assessments such as topical tests and class projects and quizzes to evaluate students' learning.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced yesterday that schools will cut down on examinations across different levels in the coming years, in an effort to move away from an overemphasis on academic results.
From next year, all examinations and assessments that count towards a final grade for Primary 1 and 2 pupils will be removed, and mid-year examinations at the Primary 3, Primary 5, Secondary 1 and Secondary 3 levels - which are key transition years - will be scrapped.
The changes will free up about three weeks of curriculum time every two years, said MOE.
In a speech earlier this week, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung told school leaders: "There is nothing wrong with having examinations and class tests, but we need to use them in suitable quantities.
"By all means, use formative tools such as worksheets, class work and homework to gauge learning outcomes and the strengths of each child... Our focus is to return the curriculum time to the schools to free up learning and teaching."
Parents said that while removing mid-year exams will relieve some stress, they wondered if it would end up shifting the pressure to the final-year assessments.
Some felt that it might be harder to know where their child stands with no Primary 3 mid-year paper on top of not having exams and overall grades in Primary 1 and 2.
Madam Karen Lim, 41, a banker with a Primary 1 daughter and Primary 5 son, said: "It is good that I won't have to stress so much over preparing for exams, but my worry is that they become too relaxed in the first two years, and then panic at the end of Primary 3.
"At the end of the day, they are still taking a very major exam - the Primary School Leaving Examination - and that is crucial for secondary school placement."
But Madam Karen Kang, 51, believes that there is room in schools for other activities beyond tests and exams.
The housewife said that her Secondary 3 son and Primary 6 daughter benefited from Henry Park Primary's scrapping of continual assessments.
"We still get feedback from smaller tests which flag areas of weakness," she said, adding that her daughter had the chance to be part of an investigative project that saw her making presentations, working in a team and testing theories.
Fewer exams: Commonly asked questions
The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
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 examinations and weighted assessments that count towards a final grade for Primary 1 and 2 pupils will be removed, and over the next three years, mid-year examinations at the Primary 3, Primary 5, Secondary 1 and 3 levels - which are key transition years - will be scrapped.
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEIGHTED ASSESSMENTS AND NON-WEIGHTED ASSESSMENTS?
MOE: Both weighted and non-weighted assessments are conducted to check for understanding and to use the information to support students in achieving the intended learning outcomes. Teachers conduct these assessments to find out what students have learnt, provide them with feedback on learning gaps and their mastery of concepts, and improve teaching and learning. Information from these assessments also serves to provide a gauge of students' academic competencies and readiness for the next level of education.
The difference is that the score from a weighted assessment counts towards a student's overall result in a subject for the semester or the year.
Q: WHAT ARE THE KEY TRANSITION STAGES FOR STUDENTS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, AND WHY DO WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE TRANSITION?
MOE: Students move through various transition stages, from lower to middle and upper primary, and then from upper primary to lower secondary and upper secondary. During these transition years, students may take up more subjects as part of progression to the next level of learning.
For example, at Primary 3, pupils learn science as a subject for the first time, and at Secondary 1, students take more subjects compared to the primary level, including new subjects such as history, and design and technology.
At these key transition stages, we want to provide students with adequate time and space to adjust to the increased curriculum demands. This can help them to manage this transition more smoothly and with greater confidence, and not feel rushed into being examination-ready just half way through the transition year.
Q: WITH THE MID-YEAR EXAMS REMOVED FOR PRIMARY 3, PRIMARY 5, SECONDARY 1 AND SECONDARY 3, WILL THIS RAISE THE STAKES OF YEAR-END EXAMS?
MOE: School-based assessments, including the year-end examination, are platforms to inform and enhance teaching and learning. They are not high-stakes in nature.
While the mid-year exam is removed in the transition years, schools can still conduct weighted assessments such as class tests, projects and presentations at suitable junctures in the academic year.
Schools will be guided on how to assign appropriate weightings for the different assessments.
Q: THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS THAT HAVE ALREADY DONE AWAY WITH CONTINUAL ASSESSMENTS AND MID-YEAR EXAMS FOR ALL LEVELS. WILL THESE SCHOOLS BE ASKED TO REVIEW THEIR EXISTING SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT STRUCTURES TO ALIGN WITH MOE'S FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING THESE MEASURES ONLY AT THE TRANSITION LEVELS?
MOE: The aim of adjusting the school-based assessment structures is to reduce the overemphasis on academic results and to nurture a stronger intrinsic motivation to learn in our students. The changes are meant to establish a minimum threshold on the re-calibration of the assessment load. Schools that have made more reduction to the assessment load than this minimum threshold are not required to reverse their reduction.
For instance, a secondary school that has removed mid-year exams for Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 need not reinstate the examination in Secondary 2.
Q: AT PRIMARY 1, 2, 3, 5 AND SECONDARY 1 AND 3, WHAT WILL SCHOOLS PUT IN PLACE TO REPLACE MID-YEAR EXAMS AND WEIGHTED ASSESSMENTS?
MOE: The removal of mid-year exams will free up about three weeks of curriculum time for each two-year block (for example, Primary 3 and Primary 4). Schools are encouraged to use the time and space freed up for quality teaching and learning.
Schools can use this time to pace out teaching and learning, and adopt varied pedagogies to deepen students' learning. For example, schools could leverage applied and inquiry-based teaching and learning approaches to encourage students to observe, investigate, reflect and create knowledge as part of their learning processes.
This will further enrich our students' learning experiences and enable them to learn deeply and develop holistically, especially in 21st century competencies.
Q: WILL STUDENTS' READINESS FOR THE NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS BE REDUCED?
MOE: To provide students with timely and specific feedback and address any learning gaps that they might have, teachers will regularly gather information about students' understanding and content mastery through checkpoints such as reviewing students' homework, class work and tests.
The other examination points, such as the year-end examination and the mid-year exams in other academic years, will continue to provide adequate opportunities to assess students' ability to apply their learning across a range of topics or subjects, and familiarise them with the national examination requirements.
The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
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 examinations and weighted assessments that count towards a final grade for Primary 1 and 2 pupils will be removed, and over the next three years, mid-year examinations at the Primary 3, Primary 5, Secondary 1 and 3 levels - which are key transition years - will be scrapped.
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEIGHTED ASSESSMENTS AND NON-WEIGHTED ASSESSMENTS?
MOE: Both weighted and non-weighted assessments are conducted to check for understanding and to use the information to support students in achieving the intended learning outcomes. Teachers conduct these assessments to find out what students have learnt, provide them with feedback on learning gaps and their mastery of concepts, and improve teaching and learning. Information from these assessments also serves to provide a gauge of students' academic competencies and readiness for the next level of education.
The difference is that the score from a weighted assessment counts towards a student's overall result in a subject for the semester or the year.
Q: WHAT ARE THE KEY TRANSITION STAGES FOR STUDENTS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, AND WHY DO WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE TRANSITION?
MOE: Students move through various transition stages, from lower to middle and upper primary, and then from upper primary to lower secondary and upper secondary. During these transition years, students may take up more subjects as part of progression to the next level of learning.
For example, at Primary 3, pupils learn science as a subject for the first time, and at Secondary 1, students take more subjects compared to the primary level, including new subjects such as history, and design and technology.
At these key transition stages, we want to provide students with adequate time and space to adjust to the increased curriculum demands. This can help them to manage this transition more smoothly and with greater confidence, and not feel rushed into being examination-ready just half way through the transition year.
Q: WITH THE MID-YEAR EXAMS REMOVED FOR PRIMARY 3, PRIMARY 5, SECONDARY 1 AND SECONDARY 3, WILL THIS RAISE THE STAKES OF YEAR-END EXAMS?
MOE: School-based assessments, including the year-end examination, are platforms to inform and enhance teaching and learning. They are not high-stakes in nature.
While the mid-year exam is removed in the transition years, schools can still conduct weighted assessments such as class tests, projects and presentations at suitable junctures in the academic year.
Schools will be guided on how to assign appropriate weightings for the different assessments.
Q: THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS THAT HAVE ALREADY DONE AWAY WITH CONTINUAL ASSESSMENTS AND MID-YEAR EXAMS FOR ALL LEVELS. WILL THESE SCHOOLS BE ASKED TO REVIEW THEIR EXISTING SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT STRUCTURES TO ALIGN WITH MOE'S FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING THESE MEASURES ONLY AT THE TRANSITION LEVELS?
MOE: The aim of adjusting the school-based assessment structures is to reduce the overemphasis on academic results and to nurture a stronger intrinsic motivation to learn in our students. The changes are meant to establish a minimum threshold on the re-calibration of the assessment load. Schools that have made more reduction to the assessment load than this minimum threshold are not required to reverse their reduction.
For instance, a secondary school that has removed mid-year exams for Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 need not reinstate the examination in Secondary 2.
Q: AT PRIMARY 1, 2, 3, 5 AND SECONDARY 1 AND 3, WHAT WILL SCHOOLS PUT IN PLACE TO REPLACE MID-YEAR EXAMS AND WEIGHTED ASSESSMENTS?
MOE: The removal of mid-year exams will free up about three weeks of curriculum time for each two-year block (for example, Primary 3 and Primary 4). Schools are encouraged to use the time and space freed up for quality teaching and learning.
Schools can use this time to pace out teaching and learning, and adopt varied pedagogies to deepen students' learning. For example, schools could leverage applied and inquiry-based teaching and learning approaches to encourage students to observe, investigate, reflect and create knowledge as part of their learning processes.
This will further enrich our students' learning experiences and enable them to learn deeply and develop holistically, especially in 21st century competencies.
Q: WILL STUDENTS' READINESS FOR THE NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS BE REDUCED?
MOE: To provide students with timely and specific feedback and address any learning gaps that they might have, teachers will regularly gather information about students' understanding and content mastery through checkpoints such as reviewing students' homework, class work and tests.
The other examination points, such as the year-end examination and the mid-year exams in other academic years, will continue to provide adequate opportunities to assess students' ability to apply their learning across a range of topics or subjects, and familiarise them with the national examination requirements.
Q: HOW WILL A PUPIL'S ACADEMIC PROGRESS BE MEASURED IF THERE ARE NO EXAMINATIONS AND WEIGHTED ASSESSMENTS AT PRIMARY 1 AND 2?
MOE: Schools will continue to use non-weighted assessments to support students' learning, inform their learning progress and address learning gaps. Schools will continue with their current practices to gather information about students' learning through checkpoints such as class discussions, class work, homework and bite-sized tests. The change is that these assessments no longer count towards an overall result.
Instead of using marks and grades, schools will now use qualitative descriptors to report students' learning progress in the Holistic Development Profile.
Q: WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT WILL MOE/SCHOOLS BE RENDERING TO PARENTS TO HELP THEM BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES TO SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENTS?
MOE: Parents' support and partnership are crucial in making the changes impactful to our students. Schools, with the support from MOE, will be communicating these changes to parents next year to help them better understand the rationale behind the changes and how it impacts their children.
Schools will also be gathering parents' feedback and addressing their concerns through regular updates and touchpoints such as meet-the-parents sessions.
Edusave: Awards for lower primary pupils to be based on learning attitudes
By Jolene Ang, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
As there will be no more exams at the Primary 1 and 2 levels next year, Edusave awards at the lower primary levels will need to be based on a different criterion.
That is why they will recognise pupils' attitudes towards learning - such as the diligence, curiosity and enthusiasm they show in class, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said.
Speaking at the annual Schools Work Plan Seminar earlier this week, he said the removal of exams at the Primary 1 and 2 levels left an administrative obstacle in awarding the bursaries, but it is one the Ministry of Education (MOE) would overcome. He said: "It is important to retain these awards as they celebrate students' academic success and learning milestones.
"Every year, I personally give out about 2,000 Edusave awards in my constituency... You can really see the pride and joy in the eyes of the parents and students, especially the younger ones."
Recipients of the Edusave Merit Bursary award, for Primary 1 and 2 pupils, get $200. The Edusave Good Progress Award is worth $100 for Primary 2 and 3 pupils. One of the key criteria is how well the pupils do academically.
Going forward, the MOE will use qualitative descriptors instead of marks to gauge the children's progress, the minister said.
Mr Ong explained: "Teachers can observe the demonstration of positive traits in students like diligence, curiosity, collaboration and enthusiasm through daily lessons and learning activities.
"It is not as quantitative and standardised as school-based examinations, but qualitative judgment is a fact of life."
By Jolene Ang, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
As there will be no more exams at the Primary 1 and 2 levels next year, Edusave awards at the lower primary levels will need to be based on a different criterion.
That is why they will recognise pupils' attitudes towards learning - such as the diligence, curiosity and enthusiasm they show in class, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said.
Speaking at the annual Schools Work Plan Seminar earlier this week, he said the removal of exams at the Primary 1 and 2 levels left an administrative obstacle in awarding the bursaries, but it is one the Ministry of Education (MOE) would overcome. He said: "It is important to retain these awards as they celebrate students' academic success and learning milestones.
"Every year, I personally give out about 2,000 Edusave awards in my constituency... You can really see the pride and joy in the eyes of the parents and students, especially the younger ones."
Recipients of the Edusave Merit Bursary award, for Primary 1 and 2 pupils, get $200. The Edusave Good Progress Award is worth $100 for Primary 2 and 3 pupils. One of the key criteria is how well the pupils do academically.
Going forward, the MOE will use qualitative descriptors instead of marks to gauge the children's progress, the minister said.
Mr Ong explained: "Teachers can observe the demonstration of positive traits in students like diligence, curiosity, collaboration and enthusiasm through daily lessons and learning activities.
"It is not as quantitative and standardised as school-based examinations, but qualitative judgment is a fact of life."
Details on kids' progress still needed, say parents after MOE move
They want school updates on grades, skills and character growth
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Sunday Times, 30 Sep 2018
Taking away precise academic markers may help to reduce the competition for grades, but some parents worry that they may not be able to gauge where their child stands in a cohort.
While they commended the move by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to remove indicators such as class rankings from report books, they also said that schools must keep them informed of their children's learning progress - not just academically, but also in other aspects such as skills and character.
The MOE last Friday outlined a number of changes over the next few years, in an effort to dial back the overemphasis on academic scores, from having fewer examinations to free up more time for deeper learning, to dropping certain information from report cards.
From next year, details such as a student's position in relation to class or cohort, his mean subject grades, and maximum and minimum marks across the class as well as cohort will not be reflected.
Other information to be left out will be the L1R5 or L1R4 scores - based on the results of subjects - of lower secondary levels.
Failing marks will also not be coloured or underlined.
Marks for each subject will be kept but rounded off and presented as whole numbers, without decimal points. Information such as conduct, form teachers' comments, physical fitness records, and community and co-curricular activity involvement will be retained.
National Institute of Education Associate Professor Jason Tan said: "Relative comparison has a strong competitive element.
"This knowledge of your relative ranking could spur you on, but it also has the effect of demoralising students who do not perform as well as they had expected to."
But he added that parents would still want a detailed picture of their child's learning progress. "They don't want to get a rude shock and find out that their child is not performing well enough," he said.
Housewife Rohana Alwie, 48, who has three children in secondary school, said: "There are pros and cons to removing the class and cohort positions.
"They are useful for those who want to know how well their child is performing at his level."
She added: "But if they are not there, it really doesn't matter. (These rankings) do add pressure to students and parents."
Housewife Karen Kang, who has a daughter in Primary 6 and a son in Secondary 3, said doing away with rankings is right. "Every child blossoms and matures at a different age," she said.
Housewife Joy Chua, 39, who has children in primary and secondary schools, said: "It doesn't matter to me what position my child is at.
They want school updates on grades, skills and character growth
By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Sunday Times, 30 Sep 2018
Taking away precise academic markers may help to reduce the competition for grades, but some parents worry that they may not be able to gauge where their child stands in a cohort.
While they commended the move by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to remove indicators such as class rankings from report books, they also said that schools must keep them informed of their children's learning progress - not just academically, but also in other aspects such as skills and character.
The MOE last Friday outlined a number of changes over the next few years, in an effort to dial back the overemphasis on academic scores, from having fewer examinations to free up more time for deeper learning, to dropping certain information from report cards.
From next year, details such as a student's position in relation to class or cohort, his mean subject grades, and maximum and minimum marks across the class as well as cohort will not be reflected.
Other information to be left out will be the L1R5 or L1R4 scores - based on the results of subjects - of lower secondary levels.
Failing marks will also not be coloured or underlined.
Marks for each subject will be kept but rounded off and presented as whole numbers, without decimal points. Information such as conduct, form teachers' comments, physical fitness records, and community and co-curricular activity involvement will be retained.
National Institute of Education Associate Professor Jason Tan said: "Relative comparison has a strong competitive element.
"This knowledge of your relative ranking could spur you on, but it also has the effect of demoralising students who do not perform as well as they had expected to."
But he added that parents would still want a detailed picture of their child's learning progress. "They don't want to get a rude shock and find out that their child is not performing well enough," he said.
Housewife Rohana Alwie, 48, who has three children in secondary school, said: "There are pros and cons to removing the class and cohort positions.
"They are useful for those who want to know how well their child is performing at his level."
She added: "But if they are not there, it really doesn't matter. (These rankings) do add pressure to students and parents."
Housewife Karen Kang, who has a daughter in Primary 6 and a son in Secondary 3, said doing away with rankings is right. "Every child blossoms and matures at a different age," she said.
Housewife Joy Chua, 39, who has children in primary and secondary schools, said: "It doesn't matter to me what position my child is at.
"I'm only interested in my child's goals, like what school she hopes to enter and what she needs to do to get there."
Parents also said they hoped that report books would not just be a profile of test scores but show what values and skills their children learnt in school.
Said Madam Kang: "School is not just about textbooks and marks, it's about learning life skills, soft skills.
"Hopefully, these can be captured in report books - the ability to get along well with classmates, the lessons you learn on the sports field, learning to cope with failure, caring for each other."
Mr Martin Koh, principal of Henry Park Primary School, which has for some years withheld class and cohort rankings, noted that there are two kinds of parents - the ones who still ask teachers for their children's positions and those who believe such information is not necessary.
Referring to his pupils, Mr Koh said: "You just worry about your own results. This is a reflection of what you've gotten, your own ability, so let's see how you can improve, but let's not do it in relation to another person - that's what we're trying to encourage."
Dr Carol Balhetchet, a clinical psychologist, also welcomed the move away from excessive competition.
She said: "The whole objective of school is for students to learn to study at their own pace, in their own way, especially in primary school.
"Children don't need the further stress of competing with their peers. Parents need to take their cue from the school system and help their children to be less stressed about the new changes."
Schools: Moving away from overemphasis on grades
Parents too can play a part in rekindling joy of learning
They need to look beyond grades and see long-term benefits of fewer exams for kids
By Sandra Davie, Senior Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
When announcing the changes to mid-year examinations and report cards to educators earlier this week, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung stressed the importance of getting parents, "the most important stakeholders", on board.
He had told school heads gathered at the annual Schools Work Plan Seminar: "We will need to show parents that the reduction does not compromise on academic rigour. Instead, we are optimising the number of assessments students have to sit today for better results."
Getting parents on board cannot be emphasised enough if the latest initiatives, which include the scrapping of mid-year exams for Primary 3 and 5, and Secondary 1 and 3 students over the next three years, are to succeed.
The Ministry of Education (MOE), which announced the changes yesterday morning, said the motivation was to move away from a narrow overemphasis on grades and help students discover the joy of learning.
Still, many educators will remember parents' reactions when examinations were scrapped for Primary 1 and most of Primary 2 in 2010.
The Straits Times reported how many parents went into panic mode. Some bought up the soon-to-be-extinct exam papers of top primary schools. Vendors who sold such papers online and by phone reported a doubling of sales.
Other parents enrolled their children at tuition centres that conduct mock exams and mini-tests.
Expect some parents to respond the same way this time around.
Already, when asked about the latest changes, a few parents said they would be nervous if their child finishes Primary 2 with no experience of sitting an examination.
"How will my daughter cope with exams suddenly at the end of Primary 3? Are we just moving the pressure to Primary 3 now?" asked one parent, who also disagreed with MOE doing away with mid-year examinations in Primary 5, arguing that a year before the Primary School Leaving Examination, pupils need as much practice as they can get.
Parents must bear in mind that although there will be no mid-year examinations, there will be regular assessments.
Several parents also felt that taking away class and cohort rankings from report books makes it difficult for them to gauge where their children stand in relation to others.
Again, parents have to ask themselves if this information is really needed. When it comes to applying to secondary schools, parents can use the PSLE entry scores as a gauge.
What parents should do is to reflect on the longer-term benefits of dialling back school examinations. There is a wealth of research that shows the negative effects of test-taking on young children.
Many parents have seen first-hand how their lively, curious pre-schoolers turn into anxious pupils worried about tests and exams once they don primary school uniforms and enter formal schooling.
Tests do not promote curiosity or critical thinking but, instead, a narrow focus on getting the right answer, as well as curricula tailored to deliver that during exams.
Sports and co-curricular activities such as drama and debate or playing in a band, which are seen as vital to inculcate 20th-century skills such as teamwork and thinking out of the box, inevitably get sidelined because they are non-examinable.
As Mr Ong said, school leaders and teachers must take the lead and be the agents of change. Teachers must decide how they can use the freed-up time to deliver better lessons and better educational outcomes. They should explore new areas and try out more effective pedagogies.
They must also be more mindful of the part they play in shaping the behaviour of children and parents. Instead of reminding parents about their children's homework, how about giving them tips on how to make learning enjoyable?
After several years, the hope is that parents can appreciate the reduction in stress and see their children develop an intrinsic motivation to learn - as was the case after the Primary 1 and 2 changes were put in place in 2010.
As Mr Ong noted: "Today, everyone - teachers, parents, students - has got used to not having to worry about having examinations in Primary 1 and most of Primary 2. Academic results and rigour have not been affected.
"I think if MOE today reintroduced examinations in P1 and P2, we may have an uproar."
Parents too can play a part in rekindling joy of learning
They need to look beyond grades and see long-term benefits of fewer exams for kids
By Sandra Davie, Senior Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018
When announcing the changes to mid-year examinations and report cards to educators earlier this week, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung stressed the importance of getting parents, "the most important stakeholders", on board.
He had told school heads gathered at the annual Schools Work Plan Seminar: "We will need to show parents that the reduction does not compromise on academic rigour. Instead, we are optimising the number of assessments students have to sit today for better results."
Getting parents on board cannot be emphasised enough if the latest initiatives, which include the scrapping of mid-year exams for Primary 3 and 5, and Secondary 1 and 3 students over the next three years, are to succeed.
The Ministry of Education (MOE), which announced the changes yesterday morning, said the motivation was to move away from a narrow overemphasis on grades and help students discover the joy of learning.
Still, many educators will remember parents' reactions when examinations were scrapped for Primary 1 and most of Primary 2 in 2010.
The Straits Times reported how many parents went into panic mode. Some bought up the soon-to-be-extinct exam papers of top primary schools. Vendors who sold such papers online and by phone reported a doubling of sales.
Other parents enrolled their children at tuition centres that conduct mock exams and mini-tests.
Expect some parents to respond the same way this time around.
Already, when asked about the latest changes, a few parents said they would be nervous if their child finishes Primary 2 with no experience of sitting an examination.
"How will my daughter cope with exams suddenly at the end of Primary 3? Are we just moving the pressure to Primary 3 now?" asked one parent, who also disagreed with MOE doing away with mid-year examinations in Primary 5, arguing that a year before the Primary School Leaving Examination, pupils need as much practice as they can get.
Parents must bear in mind that although there will be no mid-year examinations, there will be regular assessments.
Several parents also felt that taking away class and cohort rankings from report books makes it difficult for them to gauge where their children stand in relation to others.
Again, parents have to ask themselves if this information is really needed. When it comes to applying to secondary schools, parents can use the PSLE entry scores as a gauge.
What parents should do is to reflect on the longer-term benefits of dialling back school examinations. There is a wealth of research that shows the negative effects of test-taking on young children.
Many parents have seen first-hand how their lively, curious pre-schoolers turn into anxious pupils worried about tests and exams once they don primary school uniforms and enter formal schooling.
Tests do not promote curiosity or critical thinking but, instead, a narrow focus on getting the right answer, as well as curricula tailored to deliver that during exams.
Sports and co-curricular activities such as drama and debate or playing in a band, which are seen as vital to inculcate 20th-century skills such as teamwork and thinking out of the box, inevitably get sidelined because they are non-examinable.
As Mr Ong said, school leaders and teachers must take the lead and be the agents of change. Teachers must decide how they can use the freed-up time to deliver better lessons and better educational outcomes. They should explore new areas and try out more effective pedagogies.
They must also be more mindful of the part they play in shaping the behaviour of children and parents. Instead of reminding parents about their children's homework, how about giving them tips on how to make learning enjoyable?
After several years, the hope is that parents can appreciate the reduction in stress and see their children develop an intrinsic motivation to learn - as was the case after the Primary 1 and 2 changes were put in place in 2010.
As Mr Ong noted: "Today, everyone - teachers, parents, students - has got used to not having to worry about having examinations in Primary 1 and most of Primary 2. Academic results and rigour have not been affected.
"I think if MOE today reintroduced examinations in P1 and P2, we may have an uproar."
Focus on true spirit of learning: Ong Ye Kung
By Jolene Ang, The Straits Times, 4 Oct 2018
Singapore has been over-reliant on the "security blanket" of the examination score, and "before it smothers us, we need to start to withdraw it somewhat, and focus on the true spirit of learning".
This, said Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, is part of the reason behind last week's announcement on key changes to the education system, including fewer mid-year exams in primary and secondary schools, and the removal of class rankings from report books.
At the same time, he hoped that tuition centres do not end up simulating examination-like conditions for students to make up for the lost examinations. "Don't undo what we intend to do," he urged.
He was speaking to a 400-strong crowd at the Singapore International Technical and Vocational Education and Training Conference at Raffles City Convention Centre yesterday, on the importance of mastering both cognitive and technical skills.
The two-day conference, organised by the Institute of Technical Education, ends today.
He also addressed the concerns raised after last week's announcement by the Ministry of Education (MOE).
"I knew most students would cheer the move... But I was quite uncertain about the reaction of parents," he said.
"Fortunately, and to my great relief, there was no negative uproar, and I am deeply grateful to all the parents who wrote encouraging and supportive messages to me since I made the announcement. However, they have expressed valid worries and apprehension about the changes."
The first, he added, was whether this is the start of a "slackening" of the education system, and whether children will cut back on studying hard.
"I am very confident that this is not," said Mr Ong, pointing out that fewer exams does not mean no exams. Instead, it provides better balance between rigour and the joy of learning.
"This change does not mean that there is less or no need to study," he said, as he sent out a message to students. The time freed up from fewer exams will be used "to teach you better, so that you can learn better, because teachers don't have to rush through the curriculum in order to prepare for examinations".
"So take this opportunity to study well and enjoy school and learning more."
The second worry of parents was that schools or tuition centres will re-introduce other assessments such as common tests and mock exams.
"We can worry less about the schools," said Mr Ong, explaining that before last week's announcement, the ministry had spent three days discussing the changes with school heads.
MOE has also given guidelines to schools to limit the number of tests that will count towards year-end results.
As for tuition centres, he said, adding their own exams "would just be preying on the apprehension and anxieties of parents and students".
"Instead, try to understand why these changes are important to better prepare our young for the future, and help explain that to parents."
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"Instead, try to understand why these changes are important to better prepare our young for the future, and help explain that to parents."
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