1.Students exempted from mother-tongue languages have similar outcomes with new PSLE scoring, according to the Ministry of Education.

Speaking in Parliament, the Second Minister for Education said that any student that scores 22 or below will qualify for the Express course and this outcome applies to either scoring system. 

Simulations based on the most recent PSLE primary education results showed students with special educational needs that are exempted from MTL, for instance, would qualify for the Express course under both systems, she said.  

Ms Indranee was responding to questions on the new PSLE scoring system for MTL-exempt students by MPs like Ms Denise Phua, Mr Murali Pillai and Ms Rahayu Mahzam.

2. Students to be graded on 'achievement levels' in PSLE from 2021

From 2021, students taking their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) will be scored with Achievement Levels (ALs) of 1 to 8 in each of their four subjects. The sum of these ALs will make up students’ final scores, which will now be called the PSLE Score.

In detailing changes first announced in Parliament in April, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said it is moving away from the PSLE T-score, with the intention of reducing an over-emphasis on academic results. Students in this year's Primary 1 cohort will be first to be affected, as they take the PSLE syllabus in 2021, the ministry had said at the Committee of Supply debate.

3. Withholding of results slips to be reviewed at all levels: Children shouldn't bear the responsibility of arrears

The practise of withholding a pupil’s results slip due to fee arrears accumulated by his parents will be reviewed for all levels. This will be completed before the release of the next Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Monday (Jan 6).

The results slip is withheld only as a last resort, Mr Ong added, stressing that schools are sensitive to this and will ensure that everyone gets their results to slip “the same way”.