2025 Singapore Cambridge Consultative Committee Meeting
The annual Singapore-Cambridge Consultative Committee Meeting (CCM) brings together key educational partners: the Ministry of Education, Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board, and Cambridge University Press and Assessment. This strategic platform enables these institutions to exchange valuable insights on assessment developments, share research findings, and discuss emerging trends in educational practices.
This year, Cambridge hosted the annual CCM in July 2025 at its premises in the United Kingdom. At the meeting, the forthcoming Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate, set to launch in 2027, was presented, with both parties expressing confidence in the transition plans. Updates on e-Examinations were also provided, including presentations of items from GCE N(T)-Level Science and Computing, as well as O-Level Exercise and Sports Science. The implementation of e-Examinations has yielded positive outcomes for both test developers and test-takers. By harnessing technology's affordances, we can now assess constructs not possible in paper-based examinations. Students have also provided encouraging feedback about their e-Examination experience.
The Singapore delegation also delivered presentations on key educational initiatives that included the use of Educational Technology and AI in teaching, learning and assessment, and educational reforms in both countries. The meeting also discussed efforts by education systems on both sides to improve student health and wellbeing as well as addressed curriculum and assessment approaches for climate change and sustainability education.
The Singapore delegation sharing recent educational moves to nurture the joy of learning.
MOE senior management participated virtually in the meeting on educational initiatives.
Dr Ryan Chow from SEAB updated the meeting on auto-marking initiative.
As part of the CCM to showcase the local education and educational initiatives, Cambridge arranged visits to a school and research institute. The Singapore delegation visited Long Road Sixth Form College on the first day of its Open House, where the college was expecting about 9,000 parents and their children. It is an institution with a 50-year heritage that serves about 2,500 students aged 16 to 19 from diverse educational backgrounds. True to its mission of student empowerment, the college offers a broad curriculum, equipping its students with relevant skills for their future careers. Through its VESPA programme, focusing on Vision, Effort, Systems, Practice and Attitude, the college has fostered resilience and confidence in students. Under effective leadership, the college has seen improvements in qualification achievement rates. The college was rated by the UK’s Ofsted as ‘Good’ in its overall effectiveness in teaching, learning and assessment. Notably, it has been successful in supporting high-needs students, who make good progress and outperform their peers.
College key personnel with the Singapore delegation during the campus tour.
Another visit was made to the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI), established in 1920 as part of the University of Cambridge. Dr David Waterhouse, the curator of SPRI, hosted the Singapore delegation. As he guided the delegates through the museum, he regaled the group with interesting facts about the Arctic and Antarctic regions and the exciting work carried out by researchers in their quest to better understand the polar regions. With his good-natured humour, he clarified the common misconception that polar bears and penguins live together. In fact, they never naturally encounter each other, as polar bears are found in the Arctic while penguins live in the Antarctic.
The Singapore delegation exploring exhibits about the Arctic and Antarctic at The Scott Polar Research Institute.
The 2025 CCM concluded with a successful and enjoyable meeting of educational partners who engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanged ideas about current and future developments in education and assessments. This platform has cemented and will continue to strengthen the professional working relationships and friendships that the educational partners have established.
Looking forward to next year's CCM to be hosted by SEAB in Singapore.
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