Through the Lens: Celebrating Assessment Leaders
This article was written from the perspective of SEAB's staff member, Zuhairee Ramlan, Assistant Manager (Digital Media). He is the official photographer for the event.
As a photographer covering key events in SEAB, I had the privilege of capturing a significant milestone in Singapore's educational landscape. Through my lens, I witnessed not just a graduation ceremony but observed how teachers approach assessment in education.
On 4 June 2025, 35 educators celebrated a milestone in assessment leadership at the Certificate in Examination and Assessment in Education (CEA in Edn) graduation ceremony.
Group photo of CEA graduates with the instructors from SEAB.
These teachers were not just graduating from the programmeā€”they were set to champion assessment practices in Singapore's classrooms.
Through my lens, I captured Ms Lee Chun Hua's confident stance as she delivered her valedictorian address. The Marsiling Primary School educator emphasised the importance of strengthening validity and reliability through students' responses to feedback.
Left: CEA graduate, Ms Lee Chun Hua, delivering her valedictorian address.
Right: CEA graduates listening attentively to Ms Lee Chun Huaā€™s speech.
As she spoke, I observed her fellow graduates nodding in recognition as
she outlined her evidence-based practices:
1. Systematic collection of student responses
2. Analysis of feedback effectiveness
3. Continuous refinement of assessment methods
Her journey revealed two fundamental truths about educational assessment: First, what we measure shapes what we achieve. Second, how we respond to that measurement determines our growth.
The culmination of her message was both simple and profound: "Use assessment as a compass, not an anchor." This was not just a metaphorā€”it was a framework for action. The metaphor resonated deeply with everyone present, as reflected in the thoughtful expressions I captured in that moment.
Each graduate then went on to receive their certificate to celebrate their successful completion of the programme.
The atmosphere shifted from ceremonial to engagement as Senior Assessment Specialist (Sciences), Mr Tan Lee Sze, demonstrated SEAB's e-Examination systems through a technical showcase. His presentation revealed a fascinating fact how SEAB has thoughtfully implemented e-Examinations: Innovation does not happen in leaps. It happens in iterations. Each feature of the electronic assessment system represented countless hours of refinement, and rigorous testing, to enhance the examination experience for the candidates.
Senior Assessment Specialist (Sciences), Mr Tan Lee Sze, giving a demonstration of SEABā€™s e-Examinations system.
The final segment of the programme brought together Chief Executive, Mr Yue Lip Sin and Directors of Assessment Planning and Development Division, Mr Tan Kuo Cheang and Mr Pek Wee Haur, in an engaging dialogue session. The discussion highlighted the importance of SEAB and teachers working together to navigate todayā€™s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world.
The dialogue session generated key insights about assessment practices and their strategic implementation.
As the event came to an end, one thing was clear: This was more than just a graduation ceremony. My photographs had captured something more significant: a community of educators ready to enhance assessment practices in Singapore's schools, one thoughtful step at a time.
