After five consecutive years of graduating students
topping their predecessors, the proportion of GCE O-Level students
who got five or more subject passes last year dipped to 83.4 per
cent.
The performance of the 2017 batch was 0.9 percentage
points lower than the record 84.3 per cent in the Class of 2016
that secured passes in at least five subjects, and the 83.8 per
cent who did so from the 2015 cohort. But it was slightly higher
than the 83.3 per cent showing notched by the 2014 batch.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) had previously said
that the percentage of students with five or more O-Level passes
was well below 83 per cent before 2014.
Of the 29,112 candidates who sat the O Levels last
year, 96.4 per cent obtained at least three subject passes, while
99.9 per cent passed at least one subject, said the MOE and the
Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) in a joint
statement on Friday (Jan 12).
The performance is comparable to that of the 2016
cohort, where the corresponding figures were 96.5 per cent and 99.9
per cent.
Meanwhile, about 370 Normal (Academic) students took
one or more subjects in English Language, Mathematics, Combined
Sciences and Mother Tongue Languages at the Express Level last
year, under Subject-Based Banding (Secondary) – the first batch
offered higher-level subjects.
The MOE and SEAB said their results were comparable to
their peers in the O-Level cohort.
Private candidates topped their performance in 2016. Of
1,570 private candidates last year, 90.8 per cent attained at least
one pass, slightly better than the 90.2 per cent from previous
year.
Students who wish to apply for admission to Junior
Colleges (JCs), Millennia Institute, polytechnics, or the Institute
of Technical Education can do so via the Joint Admissions Exercise
(JAE) using their GCE O-Level examination results from Friday to
4pm on Jan 17.
There will be four fewer JC options this year, due to
mergers. Serangoon, Tampines, Jurong, and Innova JCs will not be
admitting new students, but the other JCs will be able to increase
their intakes of students.
The MOE and SEAB said: "This may result in increases in
cut-off points for JCs participating in the 2018 JAE. These cut-off
points variations do not reflect the quality of each JC nor its
programmes. We encourage students to continue choosing JCs based on
each school's distinctive programmes, CCAs, and school culture –
factors that can further develop their strengths and
interests."
They added: "We also want to reassure students and
parents that there will be sufficient capacity and JC places to
cater to demand."
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