Impact of Removal of Year-end Exam for Primary 3 and 4 Students on Their Learning and Stress Levels

Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry will study the impact on students who do not have to take their Primary 3 and Primary 4 year-end exams; and (b) whether the removal of such year-end exams will lead to a less stressful education journey for Primary school students.

MOE has cancelled the year-end examinations for Primary 3 and Primary 4 students this year to mitigate the disruptions to schooling caused by COVID-19. The intent is to provide more time and space for our students to re-adapt to school routines, for teachers to focus on students’ well-being during the phased return to schools and for schools to pace out curriculum recovery.

Year-end examinations help provide feedback to the teachers and students on students’ learning for the year, but they were removed this year due to exceptional circumstances. Nevertheless, our schools, as part of their assessment practices, conduct other forms of assessment, other than the year-end examinations. These assessments give a useful amount of feedback for teachers to gauge the learning acquired and determine the learning support needed by students.

MOE is monitoring the impact of COVID-19 disruptions on the learning progress and well-being of our students. We will work closely with schools to ensure that our students’ learning and well-being remain safeguarded despite these disruptions.