2.                   These changes were announced by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education, at the MOE Work Plan Seminar 2005 on 22 Sep 2005.

Extend Elective Modules to N(A) Students

3.                   MOE will support schools by introducing Elective Modules (EMs) to students in the N(A) course from 2006. EMs are currently available to students in the Normal (Technical) [N(T)] course in several schools. Schools can introduce EMs that vary in depth and difficulty, and customise them to suit their students’ needs, in both the N(A) and N(T) courses.

4.                   Practical and hands-on learning can deepen students’ understanding of concepts and help them discover their interests and talents. It will also expose the more practice-oriented students to fields that they can pursue subsequently in the Polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education. 

Provide for selected N(A) students to skip the ‘N’ level examinations

5.                   MOE will give schools the flexibility to select N(A) students at the end of Secondary 2 or Secondary 3, based on their school-based performance, to skip the ‘N’ levels. For schools that are ready, they can select such students from 2006.  The first batch of selected N(A) students[1] will therefore skip the ‘N’ level examinations in 2007.

6.                   Currently, N(A) students sit for the ‘N’ level examinations at the end of Secondary 4 for progression to Secondary 5, where they will sit for the ‘O’ level examinations.  70% to 80% of the 10,000 N(A) students in each cohort proceed to Secondary 5 after the ‘N’ level examinations. 

7.                   About 40% of N(A) students obtain at least five ‘O’ level passes. It would be educationally meaningful for some of these N(A) students to skip the ‘N’ level examinations. The time freed up from preparing for the ‘N’ level examinations can be used to provide a more seamless transition between the ‘N’ and ‘O’ level curriculum. Students can also pace their learning better over five years.  Schools may also use the time to engage students in enrichment activities and broader learning experiences. 

8.                   The ‘N’ level examinations will continue to be an important benchmark examination for the majority of N(A) students, who will benefit from preparing for it. It will also provide greater flexibility of choice in terms of qualifications and progression pathways.

Encourage Secondary Schools to Offer new ‘O’ level subjects

9.                   As announced at MOE’s 2004 Work Plan Seminar, secondary schools will be able to offer new ‘O’ level subjects in addition to, or in place of, an elective subject not offered in the upper secondary curriculum.  This enables schools to build up their curriculum niches to cater to students who have the interest and aptitude in specific fields of study.  

10.              For a start, schools have been allowed to choose subjects offered by the Cambridge International Examinations that are currently not offered by MOE, as possible new subjects.  This phased approach allows schools to gain experience. Over time, schools could partner the Post Secondary Education Institutes to develop other new subjects.

11.              MOE has decided to allow 12 secondary schools to offer new General Certificate of Education (GCE) & International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) ‘O’ level subjects in their schools. From 2006, the new subjects to be offered are Drama, Economics, and Computer Studies. Drama will be offered from Secondary 1 and/or Secondary 2, while Computer Studies and Economics will be offered from Secondary 3.  A summary of the schools and the new subjects offered is at Annex A.  More schools will be allowed to offer new subjects when they are ready to do so.

Study Feasibility of Developing Niche Programmes in Selected Schools Involving Linkages with Polytechnics

12.              MOE is putting in place a broader and more flexible A-level curriculum, and has introduced a more diverse Junior College/ Upper Secondary landscape including   the Integrated Programme and Specialised Independent Schools. This gives students who are keen on the Junior College route to university, added choices that cater to their talents and aspirations.

13.              MOE is studying how we can create further diversity in our school system to cater more fully to the interests and aspirations of students who are keen to progress along an applied and practice-oriented path of education. We will study how selected schools can work with polytechnics to offer relevant applied and practice-oriented subjects and electives to enrich the secondary school curriculum.

14.              MOE will also study if selected schools could establish links with the polytechnics so that capable and interested students can be offered places at the polytechnics after their lower secondary years. These students can gain admission to the polytechnics after completing secondary school without having to sit for the ‘O’ level examinations. If feasible, this initiative will free up more time and space for these students to engage in broader learning experiences that will prepare them well for further education in the polytechnics, and possibly the universities.

15.              The two main options which will be studied include:

a.   Offering relevant applied and practice-oriented subjects and electives mounted in the secondary schools or the polytechnics, to enrich the secondary school curriculum. Currently, Design & Technology is an elective subject with a strong focus on applied learning, and it is available to all students.   More of such practice-oriented offerings can be developed.

b.  Establishing a closer link between selected secondary schools and polytechnics so that students with suitable abilities can progress to these polytechnics without having to sit for the ‘O’ level examinations.

16.              Mr Gan Kim Yong, who will be appointed Minister of State for Education from 1 Oct 2005, will chair a Review Committee comprising principals from schools and polytechnics, and MOE officials, to study the feasibility and details of this new pathway in education.

BACKGROUND

17.              At MOE’s 2004 Work Plan Seminar, various initiatives were announced to introduce greater flexibility and choice in the education system.  These included allowing schools to offer new ‘O’ level subjects, expanding the range of ‘O’ level subjects for N(A) students, revising the N(T) curriculum and allowing lateral transfer between N(T) and N(A) courses.  The initiatives announced this year will further enhance MOE’s effort in this area, thus allowing our teachers to better engage our students and broaden the opportunities for students to learn and develop holistically.

18.              In his 2005 National Day Rally Speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong outlined enhancements that will be made to the polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education. This included allowing the polytechnics to link up with specialised foreign institutes to offer degree programmes in niche areas, creating a post secondary education account for students and injecting greater flexibility in the N(T) curriculum. PM Lee emphasised that Singapore  had to develop every talent, not just those who were academically inclined.

ANNEX A

List of Schools and New Subjects For 2006

Note:

* Tanjong Katong Girls’ Sch will offer both Drama and Economics.

^ The school will also offer the subject to Sec 2 students.

[1] Selected Sec 3 N(A) students in 2006