Secondary School Education ( Singapore )

=Secondary School Education=

Based on results of the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) results, students are placed in different secondary education tracks or streams: (Special), Express, Normal Academic or Normal Technical

"Special"/ Express

"Special" and Express are four-year courses leading up to the GCE 'O' Level examination. The difference between these two courses is that in the "Special" stream, students take 'Higher Mother Tongue' instead of 'Mother Tongue'. A foreign language ( French/Germany/Japanese) can be taken in addition to the Mother Tongue or it can replace it. The Non-Chinese students may also study Chinese and non-Malay students Malay as a third language.

Normal Academic (NA) and Normal Technical (NT)

Normal Academic and Normal Technical is a four-year course leading up to the Normal Level (N-level) exam, with the possibility of a fifth year followed by an O-level exam. In Normal Technical, students take subjects of a more technical nature, such as Design and Technology, while in Normal Academic students are prepared to take the O-level exam and normally take subjects such as Principles of Accounting.

Primary School Education (Singapore)

~Primary School Education ~

Primary education, normally starting at age seven, is a four-year foundation stage (Primary 1 to 4) and a two-year orientation stage (Primary 5 to 6)

Foundation stage

The foundation stage is the first stage of primary school. The four years from Primary 1 to 4 will provide a foundation in English, Mother Tongue (Chinese, Malay, Tamil) and Mathematics. Other subjects include Civics and Moral Education, Arts & Crafts, Music, Health Education, Social Studies, and Physical Education, which are taught throughout Primary 1 to 6. Science will be taught from Primary 3 onwards.

Orientation stage

All pupils advance to the orientation stage after Primary 4, where English, Mother Tongue and Maths are taught at the appropriate level according to the pupil's ability. Schools have the flexibility to develop their own examinations to match the pupils with the levels that suit them. They are streamed according to subject. Pupils can take their Mother Tongue, Science and Maths at the higher, standard or foundation levels.

Primary School Leaving Examination

At the end of Primary 6, the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is held. The examination determines if the student is ready to leave primary school by passing. The places in Secondary schools are allocated according to students' performance in the examination.