On 7th March, Education Minister, Chan Chun Sing announced that the Ministry of Education will be removing streaming in secondary schools from 2024 onwards.
According to Mothership, he revealed that students in secondary school will be grouped in mixed form classes.
Better suited to their pace of learning, it implies students choose to take different subjects at any subject level.
It will be known as G1, G2 and G3. G translates to the word “general”.
For now, the subject’s levels are labelled as Express, Normal (Academic)(NA), and Normal (Technical)(NT).
“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.”
– Chan Chun Sing, Minister Of Education
Full Subject-based Banding(SBB)
There will be only quality outcome takes place when MOE introduces Full Subject-based Banding (SBB), which will end course-based subject offerings.
In order to fulfil their learning needs, students can take a subject at any level with Full SBB.
Wider Range Of Schools
MOE revealed that a wider range of schools will implement Full SBB including:
- Crescent Girls’ School
- Tanjong Katong Girls’ School
- Tanjong Katong Secondary School
As for now, all these schools only cater to Express courses.
These schools will implement Full SBB from 2024 onwards and be able to take in a wider range of students, including those taking G2 subjects.
This will ensure more diverse learning profiles that can be an advantage for the schools’ particular profiles, according to Chan.
Chan mentioned that
“While Full SBB customises learning according to students’ strengths, it requires more resources.”
While implementing Full SBB, teachers may have to coordinate the timetables and need stronger teaching methods to alter to a larger range of students.
According to MustShareNews, Full Subject-Based Banding (SBB) is currently offered to more schools this year, and broadening to 90 schools later next year, in 2023.
MOE intends to implement Full SBB in every secondary school by 2024.
In the past, Full SBB was tested in 2020. It received exceedingly positive feedback.
Chan also notes that
“Students in the pilot schools have become ‘more confident in themselves and their abilities’.”
These students were also more empowered to pursue their own interests and befriend peers from different courses.
Endless Opportunities For Aspiring Students
Surely, students can benefit from the efforts of MOE to improve our education system for the future and students would not be tied up to a ‘label’.
Students like to feel included by taking subjects that are well-suited for them promotes better performance, hence better rankings from school.
Indirectly, it can benefit their career paths in the future.
.All the best students!