Yay to the Scrapping of Mid-Year Exams

We’ve been killing the interest in our children’s learning as soon as they stepped into Primary School because we’ve been too focused on exams and excelling in them. Even my own children are facing a dread in academics. They will forever and always remember the life in pre-school. For them, those were the best years.

Are we all looking forward to a radical change in our education system and turn it into something like Norway’s? Well, first and foremost, accept that mid-year exams are being scrapped no? If we flocked to tuition centres to pay for mock mid-year papers, how are we ever going to move forward? We will always be stuck in the past. I wish with all my might that parents will learn to adapt to the new system and take a backseat for a while to see whatever change Singapore is trying to create. 

I get it. Without mid-year exams, how are our children going to prepare for final year exams? Isn’t PSLE all time-based exams? Without practice, how can our children do well? I’m caught up by stress too now that Ewan is halfway through Primary 5. Is what I’m doing with him enough? 

At home, we are also working on Past Year Papers and Assessment Books for the on-going practice towards Exams. I mean, I'm a first time P5 mom and these were all tried and tested regimes right? He is my trial and error for me to be a better mom tutor to Faye. 

Sigh... but it is tiring to be chasing for something that means nothing much really. 

There are so many pulls/distractions/competition to misguide us into believing that our child is only as good as an A in her paper. I know because I’m in it. But that ain't true at all and you don't need me to tell you that. We just always have to come back to Earth. 


I did not look forward to the start of Term 3 at all because I know, seven weeks from now, the children will have to sit for another round of Weighted Assessments [WAs]. I want them to study for education; to be educated and discover themselves in the midst. *nods* granted they are still crucial to keep the kids in check but if we don’t have the Mid-Year papers anymore, it’s ok to stop chasing it. 

Some say WAs are a waste of time because they are bite-sized and cannot prepare children for the final paper. I say it's a good pacer! I really just want to know through WAs if my children understood what's being taught in school. 

I realised that scrapping the Mid-Year exams allowed my children's teachers to teach more in school! Even before June holidays arrived, both level teachers had started on chapters in textbooks B and I noticed my children being educated instead of being drilled for papers. They've had the time to do more English and Chinese compositions in class as well which they never had the luxury of time previously! In the past, they were always rushing to finish what were needed to be taught in time for Mid-Year exams. Now that's a pity.

Scrapping [the idea of] the importance of exams will churn out a different breed of adults that we want for Singapore. Academic exams simply test your ability to regurgitate the right answers and not think on your feet. You get my drift? But we cannot take them all out either. It's a mindset shift.

Associate Professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education said he understands why parents want their children to be familiar with the exam-taking experience. 

He said: “Sitting national exams involves some degree of exam-taking skills, such as not being able to consult external resources, knowing psychologically that your results will have important consequences and keeping to a time limit.” 

But he cautioned against going overboard with mock exams. “If students are regularly taking mock exams and learning for the sake of doing well in exams, they may miss out on other worthy objectives of schooling, such as becoming more self-directed in learning and discovering their interests,” said Prof Tan, who specialises in policy, curriculum and leadership. 

MOE said in response to queries that it is aware some tuition centres are offering mock exams for students, adding that exams are but one of the many avenues to assess learning progress. “The removal of mid-year exams, which frees up more time for teaching and learning, is a step towards strengthening the joy of learning in our students, and is part of ongoing efforts to move away from an overemphasis on academic grades,” it said.

I can see we are working towards what MOE is envisioning but it'll take time and a little bit more change when parents are ready. I got a shock that there will only be 7 CCA days for the rest of this year! I know exams are looming but we seem to be putting such big emphasis on them that we take away play time from the children's curriculum. 

Son: Will you let me play badminton or take part in badminton tournaments at all next year because it’s PSLE year? 

Mom: Ya? If you want to why? 

Son: Even in June or when PSLE is very near? 

Mom: Yes! Of course. 

Son: You are a different kind of mother. 

It’s so ironic isn’t it? Why do life have to one or the other? As much as the kids need to prepare for PSLE, they are entitled to do what they love too. That’s their downtime and with greater balance, I hope to believe there will be better results on all counts. 

YAY to an open-minded mommy but one who continues to revise with the kids because we can’t just sit back and do nothing at all either.

To our new batch of parents whose children are still in pre-school, please see the bigger picture. You are the pivoting change in our way of life going forward. Be brave because we will be stuck in the past otherwise.

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