MOE considering changes to PSLE to slow down education 'arms race'
SINGAPORE – The Ministry of Education (MOE) is considering making changes to the way PSLE results are used in secondary school admissions, as well as to the difficulty of examinations, among other things.Education Minister Desmond Lee said the ministry is looking at curbing the education “arms race”, along with examining issues such as direct school admissions (DSA) and co-curricular activities (CCAs), which have become increasingly competitive.The MOE will soon start a series of conversations with Singaporeans to hear their views before making any changes, said Mr Lee on Jan 26 in an interview with the media.Asked whether MOE would study alternative assessment models or if the PSLE would remain, he said: “We do not want to pre-judge, we do not want to circumscribe... it may or may not be a tweak. It could also be quite major.”His remarks come amid growing recognition that the “arms race” in education has not abated, despite significant changes made by the Government to dial back excessive academic pressure by ending streaming and revamping PSLE scoring.