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Singapore’s new Secondary Exam Certificate (SEC) explained
The Ministry of Education in Singapore has announced a significant change in the national exam system. The current GCE O-level and N-level exams will be replaced by a new common exam under the Full Subject-Based Banding (FSBB) system. This change will first affect students who are currently in Secondary 1.
What is the ‘New Common National Exam’?
The new exam, called the Secondary Exam Certificate (SEC), will bring together all secondary students under one unified assessment system. This replaces the previous practice of streaming students into three categories—Express, Normal (Academic), and Normal (Technical)—and conducting separate exams for each stream.
How will this change affect O-level students?
Under the existing system, students in the Express stream take their O-level exams in October, while those in the Normal streams take their exams in September.
With the new FSBB system, all students will sit for the same SEC exam, but with different levels tailored to their abilities and interests.
Structure and timing of the SEC exam
Similar to the H1, H2, and H3 levels in the A-level exams, the SEC will have different papers corresponding to different subject levels:
- Express stream students will now take General (3) or G3 level exams.
- Normal (Academic) stream students will take General (2) or G2 level exams.
- Normal (Technical) stream students will take General (1) or G1 level exams.
To ensure students are not overwhelmed, the SEC exams are structured to spread out the testing period:
- English and Mother Tongue Language exams will be held in the second week of September.
- Other subject exams will take place throughout October.
Key differences between the current system and the new FSBB system
- Unified exam: All students, regardless of their stream, will take the SEC exam.
- Subject levels: Students can choose the level of the exam that best matches their strengths—G3, G2, or G1.
- Mother tongue language exam: Under the new system, students will have only one chance to take their Mother Tongue Language exam. Currently, they can retake this exam at the end of the year if needed, following an initial attempt mid-year.
This new system aims to offer a more flexible and inclusive approach to secondary education, allowing students to pursue their academic interests and strengths without being confined to a rigid stream. As the first batch of students prepares for this transition, the education landscape in Singapore is set for a significant transformation.
