Year-end exams for P3 and P4 pupils cancelled

Year-end examinations for Primary 3 and Primary 4 pupils will be cancelled, in an unprecedented move by the Ministry of Education (MOE) amid rising Covid-19 infections.

But face-to-face classes for Primary 3 to Primary 6 pupils will resume from next Monday, followed by classes for Primary 1 and Primary 2 pupils next Wednesday, it said.

MOE said the decision to cancel exams will "allow more time for curriculum recovery due to disruptions brought about by Covid-19".

This is the first time that exams have been cancelled since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year. The Straits Times understands that about 70,000 pupils will be impacted.

Primary 5 year-end examinations will continue under safe management measures.

This will allow both pupils and parents to get a better understanding of the pupils' learning progress in relation to the Achievement Level scoring system - implemented this year - prior to taking the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).

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Primary 1 and Primary 2 pupils do not sit year-end examinations. Meanwhile, in-person lessons for primary schools will progressively start from next Monday.

Since Sept 27, Primary 1 to Primary 5 pupils, as well as those from special education schools, have been placed on home-based learning (HBL) to minimise the risk of school-based coronavirus transmission and protect those under the age of 12, who are currently not eligible for vaccination. This is also to reduce any possible disruption to the cohort taking PSLE, said MOE.

The ministry also shared other details relevant to primary schools. These include:

● Oct 22, the day after the PSLE marking exercise, will be declared a school holiday. This means that pupils will not need to report to school from Oct 18 to Oct 22, and there will be no HBL. This will not apply to students from special education schools.

●  Parents of Primary 1 to Primary 5 pupils will be required to carry out an antigen rapid test on their children at home today or tomorrow, prior to the children's return to school. They will need to report these results via a link.

● Since exams for Primary 3 and Primary 4 pupils are cancelled, schools will draw on information from school-based assessments that were conducted throughout the year to report on the pupils' learning progress and provide feedback, as well as make recommendations on their subject combination. Schools, for instance, will help children decide whether to offer Standard or Foundation level for specific subjects from the start of Primary 5.

● Face-to-face lessons for pupils aged 12 and below at tuition and enrichment centres and private education institutions may also resume from next Monday. However, the ministry encourages tuition and enrichment centres to continue conducting these classes online as much as possible.

● Private education institutions with similar student profiles and that conduct similar activities to primary schools are strongly advised to take reference from measures for schools and adopt them where possible.

● Co-curricular activities and other after-school activities will continue to be suspended for all levels, including secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute.