Press Releases

PAST PSLE PAPERS TO BE RELEASED IN EXAMINATION FORMAT: PROVIDING GREATER CLARITY ON THE OVERALL STANDARD OF THE PSLE

6 February 2015

1 Since 1993, the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) has been releasing the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) questions by topics for Mathematics and Science, and by item types for the English Language and Mother Tongue Languages. This has supported teaching and learning in schools and helped familarise students with the types of questions in the PSLE.

2 Starting 2015, on an annual basis, SEAB will be releasing PSLE papers from the previous three years in examination format, for both the standard and foundation levels1, in all subjects. This enhancement aims to provide students and parents with greater clarity on the overall standard of the PSLE.

3 The PSLE is a checkpoint in a child’s learning journey, intended to help him take stock of his learning before entering the next phase of education. Hence, the PSLE is designed to test students' mastery of knowledge and skills in the Singapore primary syllabuses. The examination papers are pitched appropriately and aligned to the primary syllabuses. As the examinations are designed for a wide range of students, there is a spread of questions that enables all students to demonstrate different levels of mastery.

4 Chief Executive of SEAB, Ms Tan Lay Choo, said, “With a clearer understanding of the overall standard of the PSLE, we hope parents will be better informed in supporting their child for the PSLE, while bearing in mind the importance of giving their child time and space to pursue other meaningful activities and personal interests.”

5 For 2015, the release will include PSLE papers from 2012 to 2014. It will be published by appointed publishers and made available at major bookstores from 7 February 2015, Saturday.

1 Each year, our primary 5 students will be offered a mix of Standard or Foundation subjects depending on their aptitude in each subject, as demonstrated by their performance in the primary 4 school-based examinations.