O-level secondary education system is part of Singapore since her birth. Over years the O-level system has become more Asian then Western in that “major exams” has become the focus of our secondary education system. Students performing badly in O-level exams are left with very few progression options. The exams-centric O-level system has been dream-killer for many students, especially for those who are neither academically-inclined nor exams-smart.
O-Level System Is Exams-Centric
The O-level secondary education system focuses solely on one single O-level exams in the fourth year. This has created uneven loading on students, especially on the third and fourth year before O-level exams. Students are made to complete the full 4-year syllabus within 3.5 years so as to reserve the last half year for exams related activities, such as revision, prelim exams, practicing papers from other schools and more exam drills. Essentially, an O-level student only gets 3.5 year to study the full 4-year secondary curriculum.
Deficiencies Of O-Level Exams System
As O-level Exams test mostly on the third and fourth year of their learning, uneven loading is created, most noticeably in secondary 3. Students are required to swallow the 2-year syllabus (third and fourth year) within 1.5 year. The only way to achieve this is to cover beyond 60% of the combined content in 3rd year. Pressure is exceptionally high in secondary 3 and most students are left with very limited time to digest and internalize their learning. Those who are not able to cope will be required to either repeat their secondary 3 or be transferred to the Normal stream (N-level system).
Fourth year is equally stressful for students as the Prelim plus O-level drills consume great deal of their last 6 months of secondary education. It also deprives them from having quality time to better integrate and correlate their concepts in learning.
Peripheral Systems For Better Academic Grading
Over years several peripheral education systems were created around the O-level, mainly to ensure more accurate exams grading on students before and after O-level. The N-level system was meant to ensure that only academically qualified students could move on to O-level. Improved score counting systems were also put in place, such as the L1R5 and L1R4 counting system for students with different score range. There is also bonus deductions system for passing higher mother tongue and outstanding co-curricular activities (CCA) records.
Deficiencies Of Peripheral Systems
Interestingly the N-level system was first perceived as the education system to allow Secondary students to bypass O-level. It was designed for academically weak students to progress to Institute Of Technical Education (ITE) without O-level. Students who do well in the N-level system can progress further to Polytechnic and thereafter University to obtain their Bachelor Degree. In true original sense, N-level is the pioneering system for student to bypass the supreme O-level system.
Unfortunately the N-level system was not designed to help the academically weak to improve in their study. Over yeas it is neither concerned with ensuring smaller student-to-teacher ratio nor providing students with supplementary mentor-tutor assistance. Instead, it inherits all the deficiencies of the O-level system and has become another exams-centric system for grading purpose.
Doing Away O-Level Exams
In recent years there are serious efforts to introduce new systems to do away O-level exams. 2 systems are successfully put in place and have won overwhelming praises among educators, parents and student. One is the 6-year Integrated Program (IP) leading to A-Level. The other is the International Baccalaureate (IB) program leading to Diploma.
The IP system is specially designed for those who are academically strong. These students are bright and they do not require the O-level exams as they are able to internalize and integrate their learning independently. These students proceed straight through into JC as the goal of O-level is not working for them.
On the other hand, the IB system is offered in schools with students who are talented, even in non-conventional subjects, such as sports and arts. Some students from schools with IB system are well-known for their non-academic achievements.
Superiority Of non-O-Level Systems
Today, the 6-year secondary education programs (IP and IB) are considered far superior then the O-level system. By doing away O-level exams, students under IP and IB systems gain a lot more time to learn beyond O-level. IP and IB systems also offer the provision for student to repeat if they perform badly, for whatever reason. This uncomplicated approach is much better than the exams-centric O-level system with rigid streaming process.
Under the non-O-level systems, students spend minimum time on exams and maximum time on learning. This is in sharp contrast with the O-level system requiring students to spend maximum time on exams and minimum time on learning. In essence, the average students who need more time to cover their 4-year syllabus are not given sufficient time, while the bright students who are in fast track have so much extra time that they are learning far beyond the O-level system.