Criteria for Students Offered Progression from G1 to G2 and G2 to G3 under Full Subject-Based Banding

Ms Gho Sze Kee asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry prescribes common national criteria for students to be offered progression from G1 to G2, or G2 to G3, under Full Subject-Based Banding; and (b) if not, what discretion is given to individual secondary schools in determining the academic thresholds and other criteria for such progression.

Under Full Subject-Based Banding, students learn each subject at the level that best caters to their strengths and learning needs. At the start of Secondary 1, students may be offered English Language, the Mother Tongue Languages, Mathematics and Science at a more demanding level based on their PSLE performance in each of these subjects.

Beyond the start of Secondary 1, students may offer subjects at a more demanding level based on a holistic consideration of their performance, interests and readiness. MOE provides schools with guidelines for identifying suitable students, for example, subject-specific academic criteria, and traits and dispositions that schools can consider. Schools have the discretion to make the final decision based on their holistic understanding of each student's interests, aptitude and ability to manage the overall curricular load.