MOE to remove NT, NA & Express streaming in secondary schools from 2024

New subject levels.

Fasiha Nazren | March 07, 2022, 02:50 PM

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The Ministry of Education (MOE) will be removing streaming in secondary schools from 2024 onwards.

This was announced in Parliament by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing today (Mar. 7).

G1, G2 and G3

He explained that students in secondary school will be grouped in mixed form classes, where students can choose to take different subjects at different subject levels, suited to their pace of learning.

These subject levels are known as G1, G2 and G3, where the G stands for “general”.

The subject levels are “broadly mapped” from the current Express, Normal (Academic) (NA), and Normal (Technical) (NT), standards.

Chan said: “Those who are strong in a subject may take it at a more demanding level, while those who find it difficult to cope with a subject may [take] it at a less demanding level, based on the school's guidance.”

Full Subject-based Banding in more schools

MOE will also shift away from course-based subject offerings under Full Subject-based Banding (SBB).

With Full SBB, students can take a subject at a level that better meets their learning needs.

MOE will also extend Full SBB to more schools, including Crescent Girls’ School, Tanjong Katong Girls’ School and Tanjong Katong Secondary School, all of which currently only admit students in the Express course.

From 2024, these schools will go onboard Full SBB, and admit a wider range of students, including those taking mainly G2 subjects.

Chan said that students of “more diverse learning profiles” can benefit from these schools’ distinctive programmes.

Chan added that while Full SBB customises learning according to students’ strengths, it requires more resources.

This includes a more complex coordination of timetables and requires teachers to adapt their teaching methods to a wider range of students.

Top image from Chan Chun Sing’s Facebook page.

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