PSLE jitters hit parents too: Tears and relief after results arrive

In 2012, the practice of naming top PSLE scorers was discontinued. One year later, reporting each cohort’s highest and lowest aggregate scores in the result slips was also scrapped.

The recent change was the revamp of the PSLE scoring system.

Since 2021, students have been scored by Achievement Levels (AL), which reflect their performance relative to curriculum learning objectives.

Scores now range from 4 to 32, with 4 being the best.

MOE says the changes were meant to reduce fine differentiation among students at a young age and recognise achievement without comparing children to their peers.

It is a move away from the previous system, which focused on numerical scores.

Scoring continues — and so does the pressure

Parents told Stomp that while MOE reforms, including the introduction of ALs, have helped to some extent, competition and comparisons remain.

“Once there is a number, parents naturally start comparing,” said Mr Silvester, noting that many still think in terms of the old scoring model — the system today’s parents themselves grew up under.

Mrs Ana said the changes were “not adequate enough”, adding, “It’s basically the same thing under different terms, with a slight tweak.”

Mr Ng said that even measures to reduce formal exams in schools simply mean families must “carry more of the load” at home. “Not every 12-year-old can self-manage timed practice or revision,” he said.

Navigating choices under full SBB

After the PSLE results, parents are also navigating the changes brought by full Subject-Based Banding (SBB), which affects how their children move on to secondary school.

Under SBB, Primary 6 students are placed into Posting Groups 1, 2, and 3 — mapped from the previous Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic), and Express streams — which determine which schools they can enter and the initial level of subjects they take in Secondary 1.

Students can take subjects at three levels — G1, G2, or G3 — allowing them to be grouped by ability in each subject rather than overall academic performance, according to MOE.

Over time, they can adjust their subject levels based on their strengths, interests, and learning needs.

‘Two-way conversation’

Parents say SBB has changed how they weigh their children’s next steps — it’s now less about chasing cut-off points and more about finding the right fit.

For Mrs Ana, her daughter’s eligibility for all G3 subjects made the process straightforward. While school prestige matters to some, proximity was a key factor.

“We prefer schools that are near our home, as travelling takes up too much of their already packed schedule,” she said.

For Mr Ng and his wife, choosing their son’s secondary school is a “two-way conversation” about what really aligns with their son’s needs.

“It’s about helping him understand himself, rather than pushing him toward any particular path,” he said.

Join the conversation