Next step forward: N(A) Level Mother Tongue Language Paper 2 goes electronic

September 2025 marked another milestone in SEAB’s e-Examination journey, as over 6,000 students sat for the N(A)-Level Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) Paper 2 electronically. Paper 2 is a 90-minute examination which assess students on their MTL language use and comprehension.  

This transition did not happen overnight. Behind the scenes, dedicated SEAB officers laid the groundwork through extensive preparation, which included a comprehensive field test conducted in 2023 involving close to 330 students across nine schools.  

As part of change management, students participated in hands-on practice sessions in April 2025, giving them the opportunity to explore the new digital interface and build confidence with the system before the actual examination day.  

The e-Examinations were accessible to students as they generally adapted well to the electronic format of exams.  The text editing functions helped students to organise their answers more efficiently and provide more complete responses. 

This milestone represents more than just a technological upgrade—it's a testament to SEAB’s commitment to evolving our assessment to prepare our students for the future workplace, while preserving the rich heritage of our Mother Tongue Languages. 

Screenshot of a Chinese Language cloze passage Multiple Choice Question

Close-up of an open-ended Malay Language reading comprehension question

Interactive items, such as drag and drop feature, as shown in the Tamil Language Paper 2 enhance the test-taking experiences of students

Fill in the blank features as shown in the Tamil Language Paper 2

A photo of a student answering questions on a laptop during a Chinese Language e-Examination

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