Singapore’s MOE is considering possible changes to how PSLE results are used in secondary school admissions, alongside other areas, to curb the education “arms race”. This “arms race” does not only involve tuition, but also early and intensive preparation for routes such as DSA and increasingly competitive CCA profiles.

MOE plans to gather views through focus groups, online engagement and surveys involving educators, parents, students, researchers and the wider community. Changes could be minor tweaks or more major reforms. The discussion also touches on exam difficulty, assessment goals, fairness concerns around DSA, and the broader competitive landscape shaped by CCAs and admissions frameworks.

Public views are often divided: some welcome reduced pressure and deeper, more holistic learning, while others argue that academic stress builds resilience and maintains high standards. Regardless of the final policy direction, key transferable skills remain essential: reading comprehension, information extraction, inference, and reasoned evaluation.