the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore had announced significant changes to the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) scoring system. These changes were set to be implemented from the year 2021 onwards. Here are the key changes:
- Replacement of T-score with Achievement Levels (ALs): The T-score system, which ranked students based on their relative performance, was replaced by Achievement Levels (ALs). ALs provide a more straightforward and transparent assessment of a student’s performance.
- Four Subject Bands: Students are now assessed in four subjects: English, Mother Tongue Language (MTL), Mathematics, and Science. Each subject is graded on a scale of AL1 to AL8, with AL1 being the highest and AL8 being the lowest-such that every student will receive an overall PSLE score ranging from 4 to 32.
- Aggregate Score Removed: The aggregate PSLE score, which used to be the sum of T-scores across all subjects, has been eliminated. This means that students are no longer ranked based on their total scores.
- Increased Focus on Individual Subject Performance: The emphasis is now on individual subject performance rather than the total score. This allows students to showcase their strengths in specific subjects.
- Wider Scoring Bands: The AL system has wider scoring bands compared to the previous T-score system. This is intended to reduce fine differentiation between students and minimize excessive academic competition.
- Subject-Based Banding (SBB): Students of different abilities can now be in the same class for certain subjects, based on their performance in those subjects. This aims to provide a more customized and flexible education for students.
These changes were implemented with the goal of reducing intense academic competition, promoting a more holistic education, and recognizing a wider range of talents and abilities in students.