THING OF THE PAST?: The ten-year series, used by former students
like Hwa Chong's Damien Poon, has run into copyright issues here.
ST FILE PICTURE
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The series, popularly known as TYS among students, has run into
copyright problems.
The Ministry of Education said: 'The Cambridge International
Examinations and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board
(Seab) are in discussion to resolve some copyright issues of
third-party materials used in the examination papers.
'As such, publishing firms have been told to hold off the
publishing of past-year examination papers in the interim.'
The annual publication, which compiles all of the past 10 years'
GCE O and A level examination questions, has been used in schools
for more than four decades.
Published in individual subjects, the series, for both classroom
practice and individual revision, was readily available in book
stores in the past.
The Additional Maths 30-year series cost $7.50 last year.
Mr Kelvin Yoo, 36, CEO of Singapore Asian Publications, said: 'This
problem is only happening this year. We're just waiting for...the
tender date to be out.
'For the last two years, about six publishers were given the
publishing rights. We would usually know the tender date by
November and the results by December. But this time, we haven't
heard anything from MOE yet.'
Daryl Chee, a second-year Catholic Junior College student, said the
series is an important aid. 'It is a good form of practice. For the
O levels, some subjects only have five-year papers in books, and I
even got my teachers to help me get copies of exam papers before
that.'
Students claim that in some cases, the series shows a pattern in
the type of questions asked over the years.
'There is often replication of questions, and teachers also help us
to sort out the questions. This helps us to focus our preparation,'
said 15-year-old Felicia Chee, who is studying in Fuhua Secondary
School.
She added: ' I have a cousin who did not work very hard all along
but spotted the right questions for the O levels and ended up doing
well.'
But some students feel that not having access to the series will
not affect them much.
More critical thinking
Gwen Quek, 18, said: 'Exams nowadays involve more critical and
creative thinking. Moreover, the way they set papers now is
different from what is mostly reflected in the ten-year
series.
'Nowadays, the information is given to us and we have to think
critically and work out solutions. We can also exchange (exam
papers) inter-school, as schools are already doing.
'Working on papers from other schools is often more challenging,
and benefits us more than TYS anyway.'
Gwen is in her second year at Catholic Junior College.
Some parents said that without the series, their children will have
less practice before their exams.
Madam Goh Lee Kim, 48, said: 'I'm not happy that this is happening.
Students in secondary schools and JCs need to look at past years'
papers to have an idea of what to expect when they sit for their O
or A levels.
'It will be a big disadvantage, though they may get papers from
other schools. The Ten-Year Series set the standard for what
students can expect in their forthcoming papers.'
Madam Goh's son is studying in Yuhua Secondary School.
However, Mrs Amy Tan, 51, who has two sons, one in Sec 2 at
Anglican High School and the other in the first year at St Andrew's
Junior College, felt it is not a big issue.
'If it's across the board, then the playing field is level as
everyone is facing the same situation,' said Mrs Tan.
Mr Hsi Han Yin, 36, a mathematics teacher in Temasek Junior
College, said the books may not be relevant to the recently-changed
syllabus anyway.
He said: 'Not having the ten-year series will make the students
more resourceful when looking for questions to do.
'Also, as the syllabus changes, the older questions may not be as
relevant.'
The MOE said students would not be handicapped.
It said: 'Seab would like to assure students that they still have
access to past-year papers for reference.
'School candidates can approach their schools while private
candidates can approach MOE's customer service centre for
assistance.'
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