Secondary education in Singapore is based on four different tracks or streams:"Integrated Programme", "Express", "Normal (Academic)", or "Normal (Technical)". Singaporeans are forbidden to attend international schools on the island without Ministry of Education permission. At the end of Primary 6, the national Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is held. The examination determines whether the student is ready to leave primary school by passing; places in secondary schools are allocated according to students' performance in the examination.
Normal is a four-year course leading up to a Normal-level (N-level) exam, with the possibility of a fifth year followed by an O-level. Normal is split into Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical). In Normal (Technical), students take subjects of a more technical nature, such as Design and Technology, while in Normal (Academic) students are prepared to take the O-level exam and normally take subjects such as Principles of Accounting. In 2004, the Ministry of Education announced that selected students in the Normal course would have an opportunity to sit for the O-level exam directly without first taking the N-level exam.
There are ongoing debates about the effectiveness of streaming, with some arguing that it should be abolished due to its detrimental psychological effects.
With the exception of schools offering the Integrated Programme, which leads to either an International Baccalaureate Diploma or to an A-level exam, most students are streamed into a wide range of course combinations at the end of their second year, bringing the total number of subjects they have to sit at O-level to between six and ten, with English, Mother Tongue or Higher Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics, one Science and one Humanities Elective being compulsory. Several new subjects such as Computing and Theatre Studies and Drama are being introduced in tandem with the Ministry of Education's revised curriculum.
O-Level subjects
Languages group
English Language
Mother Tongue Languages (Chinese, Malay, Tamil, etc.)
Higher Mother Tongue Languages (Higher Chinese, Higher Malay, Higher Tamil, etc.)
Humanities group
Combined Humanities
History
Geography
Literature in English/Malay/Chinese/Tamil
Higher Art (Art Elective Programme)
Higher Music (Music Elective Programme)
Mathematics & Science group
Elementary Mathematics
Additional Mathematics
Science (Physics, Chemistry), Science (Physics, Biology), Science (Chemistry, Biology) (these 3 combined together is also known as pure science.)
Integrated Sciences
Other subjects
Art
Design and Technology -opt- a math
Music
Computer Applications
Elements of Business Skills (2009 onwards)
Food and Nutrition
Principles of Accounts
O-Level School-Initiated Electives OSIEs (Economics, Computer Studies, etc.)
The list above is not exhaustive, and does not include new subjects such as Computing and Theatre Studies and Drama, or less common subjects, such as Integrated Sciences.
Grade and scoring systems
All secondary schools in Singapore standardises the academic grading system after the grading system awarded at the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level examination, which a student sits at the end of four or five years of secondary education, taking at least 6 subjects. The level of achievement in each subject is indicated by the grade obtained, with A1 being the highest achievable grade and F9 the lowest:
A1/A2 (Distinction)
B3/B4 (Merit)
C5/C6 (Credit/Pass)
D7/E8/F9 (Below O Level Pass)
At the end of secondary education, only candidates that have attained C6 grade and above for at least 5 academic subjects will receive a School Graduation Certificate (SGC), whereas those above E8 will receive 'O' Level certificates.
A student's overall academic performance is measured through several scoring systems (such as the L1R5, L1B5 and L1R4 scoring system) depending on which type of post-secondary institution a student is applying. Each grade has a point value respective to it, for example, with grade A1 being 1 point, A2 being 2 points, and B3 being 3 points. Thus, the lower the points obtained, the better the score. For example, in the L1R5 scoring system, the student's L1 or first language (either English or Higher Mother Tongue Language) and R5 or relevant 5 subjects (which must include at least one from the Science & Mathematics group, one from the Humanities group, and excluding subjects such as Religious Studies, Mother Tongue "B" and CCA). Consequently, an L1R5 score of 6 points is considered the best score attainable to enter a Junior College. A student requires an L1R5 score of less than 20 points to be eligible for Junior College. On top of that, students must also pass English and Mother Tongue examinations.
For non-major examinations, several schools use the Mean Subject Grade (MSG) scoring system, while schools running the Integrated Programme (IP) also use the Grade Point Average (GPA) scoring system.
Co-curricular activities
Main article: Co-curricular activity
"Co-Curricular Activities" (CCA) are compulsory at the secondary level, where all pupils must participate in at least one core activity, and participation is graded together with other achievements throughout the four years in a scoring system known as LEAPS ("Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation, Service"). There are many co-curricular activities offered at the secondary level, and each student is judged based in these areas. Competitions and performances are regularly organized. Co-curricular activities are often categorized under the following: Uniformed Groups, Performing Arts, Clubs & Societies and Sports & Games. Students may also participate in more than 1 CCA.
Uniformed groups
The main uniform groups are NCC (National Cadet Corps), NPCC (National Police Cadet Corps), NCDCC (National Civil Defence Cadet Corps), St John Ambulance Brigade, Red Cross Youth, Singapore Scout Association, Girl Guides, the Boys Brigade and the Girls Brigade. Students are expected to learn drills and must wear the respective uniforms.
This is to prepare male students for National Service (NS) when they reach the age of 18. Besides military drills, they also learn skills such as team-bonding and first-aid.
Performing arts
Performing Arts CCAs vary from school to school, although most will include the Choir, Military/Concert/Symphonic Band, Chinese Orchestra, Dance groups for different ethnic cultures, Drama and Debate. Most are oriented towards performing and the musical arts.
Clubs and societies
There is a broad range of clubs and societies, ranging from Singapore Youth Flying Club to Robotics, Media and Infocomm Clubs and martial arts.