Debated in Parliament on 8 Sep 2026.
Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Education in light of the public feedback on the O-level English oral examination (a) whether the Ministry has reviewed factors contributing to the concerns raised, including perceived disparities between preparation prompts and the actual questions; (b) whether appropriate access accommodations were provided for candidates with special educational needs, particularly those on the autism spectrum; and (c) what refinements will be made for the examinations.
For national examinations, the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board approves Access Arrangements to help students with physical or learning disabilities demonstrate their knowledge and skills without compromising assessment objectives.
Of the 432 candidates who reported the discrepancy in prompts, four of them were candidates with learning needs who had been granted access arrangements prior to the examinations. This included candidates on the autism spectrum.
The other questions raised by the Member have been addressed during the Parliament Sitting on 5 August 2026. [Please refer to "Probe into 15 July GCE "O" Level English Oral Exam Incident, Lessons Learnt and Support for Affected Candidates", Official Report, 5 August 2026, Vol 96, Issue 34, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
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