Optimising resources for GCE Level oral examinations

The GCE N(A)/N(T)/O/A-Level oral examinations have been streamlined, resulting in a significant reduction in the overall number of examination days and related resources.

GCE N(A)/N(T)/O-Level oral examinations have long been held in the afternoons, taking up a total of 23 school days. Similarly, the GCE A-Level oral examinations were also held over 10 school days in the afternoons. Since 2024, this has now reduced to just three full days and nine afternoons for GCE N(A)/N(T)/O-Level and for A-level, four full days and two afternoons.

A review was made in 2022 to reduce teachers’ workload and help schools to optimise resources. With schools utilising the Home-Based Learning (HBL) approach more extensively, this created an opportunity to introduce an arrangement to conduct oral examinations in a short window of time, while students do not lose curriculum time.

For the GCE A-Level oral examinations, all Junior Colleges (JC) and Millenia Institute (MI) were divided into two groups and conducted examinations over a three-day period, effectively reducing the oral period by seven days for each group. 

Other than reducing the number of oral examination days, the change resulted in the following benefits:

a. Free up teachers’ time and resources in schools, allowing for better utilisation in teaching, learning and other school activities including co-curricular activities, national school games and Singapore Youth Festival.  Oral examiners travel on fewer days to the examination centres, cutting stress and carbon emissions as well.

b. Gain economies of scale with resource optimisation in terms of manpower and spaces required, also reducing exam administrative load.

Prior to the implementation, engagement sessions with MOE and schools were conducted in 2022 to gather feedback. Approval was obtained from MOE for a phased implementation in 2024 and 2025, and school leaders were informed of the implementation plan in 2023 followed by regular updates.

The successful implementation in 2024 is attributed to the strong support and cooperation of schools and teachers.  It could only be implemented with the sufficient number of teachers as oral examiners. SEAB will complete the implementation in 2025 with the GCE N(A)/N(T)/O-Level oral examinations in a single window for all subjects (including the conduct of O-level Mother Tongue Language with the rest).

The survey feedback from oral examiners was positive:

95% Oral Examiners were happy with the new oral exam arrangement.

What they like most:

90% of Oral Examiners indicated that the new arrangement helped save more than 20% of their time (e.g. travelling etc).

90% of Oral Examiners indicated that the oral session timings were appropriate, and breaks were sufficient.

A group photo of the Exam Operations team posing with Mr Yue Lip Sin, Chief Executive, SEAB.