In 2022, Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing announced the removal of all school-based graded examinations for Primary 1 and 2 to focus more on a child’s learning and less on their marks. The lack of graded exams means that parents may not be able to assess their child’s level of knowledge and competency up till Primary 3, and students also risk not being able to cope with the stress and pressure that comes with graded exams, due to the lack of prior opportunities to build up mental stamina and resilience.
Furthermore, with subject-based banding in play for Primary 5 and 6 levels, students must rely on their Primary 4 exam results to determine whether they can take subjects at the standard or foundation levels in the final years of Primary School and the PSLE. This may also affect their learning journey in secondary schools, as full subject-based banding is also introduced for secondary school subjects.