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EDUN N25-02-004

03701

4 Sep 2001

O-LEVEL COMMERCE / COMMERCIAL STUDIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL BE PHASED OUT

1.      The Ministry of Education will be phasing out O-level Commerce and Commercial Studies from the secondary school curriculum. With effect from 1 Jan 2003, secondary schools will stop offering O-level Commerce to secondary three pupils. From 1 Jan 2004, secondary schools will stop offering O-level Commercial Studies to secondary five pupils.

2.      O-level Commerce (7097) is currently offered to upper secondary express course pupils as an elective subject. O-level Commercial Studies (7098) is offered to Sec 5N(A) pupils who have completed the GCE N-Level Elements of Office Administration (EOA) course.

3.      The secondary school curriculum aims to provide a broad-based general education that will provide our pupils with the foundation skills required for further education to prepare them for a knowledge-based economy.

4.      The phasing out of O-level Commerce and Commercial Studies will not affect pupils' preparation for business and commerce-related courses at post-secondary institutions. The Institutes of Technical Education and the polytechnics do not require O-level Commerce or Commercial Studies as a pre-requisite for full-time business courses. Schools will continue to offer Principles of Accounts at both N and O-levels and Elements of Office Administration at N-level.

5.      Pupils who are keen to pursue business and commerce-related courses after their O-levels have the opportunity to do so at the Institutes of Technical Education and polytechnics.