Removing the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) will only transfer the stress on students elsewhere, said Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng.
Responding to calls in parliament to remove the PSLE from the curriculum, Ng rejected the proposal and offered alternatives to holistically develop students.
He also added that removing the PSLE may result in the transfer of “tremendous” stress to “a single exam in the whole career of a child’s life” when they sit for their GCE O- or N-level exams.
MOE has also taken steps to reduce the competitive pressure in the Singapore education system “so that students can focus on their learning”.
For one, teachers have been urged to manage the amount of assessments and homework given to students.
For another, the new PSLE scoring system, which will come into effect in 2021, will assess how well a student has learnt, rather than compare his performance with his peers.
“The PSLE is a useful checkpoint at the end of primary school to help us determine where each child’s academic strengths lie,” Ng said. “This guides the child to a suitable academic program in secondary school – one that best fits his learning needs.
“The PSLE does not however, cast in stone what students can achieve in school, in life or anytime in the future.”
Ng outlined a better approach to help students develop “21st century competencies” such as critical thinking, creativity and collaboration:
- create more space for informal learning
- allow students to learn through play
- encourage opportunities for character building
Such approaches can be applied inside and outside the classroom, as well as through co-curricular activities.
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