Compulsory Education: Exemptions
The following categories of children may be exempted from compulsory education (CE):
Designated Schools
Children who wish to attend designated schools, namely the 6 madrasahs currently offering full-time religious education for children of primary school-going age and San Yu Adventist School are required to seek exemption from CE.
These designated schools have to meet a certain PSLE benchmark for the “designated school” status, which allows them to continue admitting children exempted from CE at Primary 1. Parents will have to apply to the Compulsory Education Unit (CEU), Ministry of Education (MOE) for a certificate confirming that their child has been exempted from CE. Applications for a certificate of exemption from CE are to be made through the respective designated school.
Home-schooling
Children will only be granted exemption from CE to be home-schooled provided the parents are able to satisfy MOE that the two key objectives of CE can be achieved for their children.
Parents will have to apply to CEU, MOE for a certificate confirming that the child has been exempted from CE. In seeking CE exemption for their child to receive home-schooling, parents are required to furnish information on the curriculum and educational outcomes of the home-schooling programme and indicate how the child will receive instruction in National Education.
A child granted exemption from CE to be home-schooled has to attempt the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) in four subjects at Standard Level (English, Mother Tongue, Mathematics, Science) when he/she is above the age of 11 years, but before attaining the age of 15 years.
A home-schooled child has to meet the same PSLE benchmark as children attending the San Yu Adventist School, and sit the National Education Quiz before PSLE.
The PSLE benchmark for San Yu Adventist School is pegged at the 33rd percentile aggregate score of pupils who take the 4 subjects at Standard level in national schools in that same year. For the 2009 PSLE, the benchmark for San Yu Adventist School corresponded to a PSLE aggregate score of 192.
Special Needs
Children who are not able to go to national schools because of physical/intellectual disabilities are exempted from CE in national schools. Parents of children with special needs do not have to obtain certificates confirming exemption from CE.