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Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board

International Test Commission (ITC) conference 2026 Auckland, New Zealand, 30 June 2026 to 3 July 2026

A look at what the MOE and SEAB team has gained from the study trip

Last updated on 3 November 2026
A group of officers

MOE and SEAB officers arriving safely in Auckland

A multi-disciplinary team comprising eight officers from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) went on a study trip to Auckland, New Zealand from 27 June to 5 July 2026.

The trip included two components – attending the 2026 International Test Commission (ITC) Conference and gaining a first-hand experience into New Zealand’s education system through school visits.

2026 International Test Commission (ITC) Conference

Held at The University of Auckland, the Singapore team facilitated a symposium titled “Building Positive Assessment Washback in Singapore: Revisiting Policy, Practice, and Professional Learning". The symposium examined how Singapore's assessment fundamentals have been strategically redesigned to promote constructive assessment culture.

The symposium presented four interconnected studies tracing reform from macro to micro levels, covering policy redesign, the evolution of Project Work, teacher assessment literacy development and parental engagement strategies.

Group of officers

MOE and SEAB officers with symposium participants

An officer making a presentation
MOE and SEAB presenters in action

The symposium presented four interconnected studies tracing reform from macro to micro levels, covering policy redesign, the evolution of Project Work, teacher assessment literacy development and parental engagement strategies.

Visits to Local Schools

The team had the opportunity to observe the New Zealand’s highly decentralised education system at eight local schools spanning primary, intermediate and secondary education.

Classroom learning
Students having lessons at Ormiston College
A group of officers

These included Papatoetoe High School, Papatoetoe East Primary School, Ormiston College, Ormiston Primary School, Northcote College, Northcote Intermediate School, Mount Albert Grammar School and Mount Albert Primary School. During the visits, the team had the opportunity of conversing with school leaders and teachers for valuable insights into how internal and external assessments for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) are administered in schools, and how schools are supporting their students through personalised learning pathways and authentic assessment experiences.

The school visits reaffirmed that although education systems may differ in their approaches, they share a common aspiration: to design assessments that enable every learner to thrive.

A group of officers

Professional exchange at Northcote College

Conclusion

The learning journey provided the team with valuable opportunities to both share Singapore’s assessment reform experience with the international assessment community and learn from New Zealand’s approaches and practices. The exchanges at the ITC Conference and insights gained from the school visits offered fresh perspectives on how assessment can continue to evolve to support meaningful learning.

The team returned to Singapore with a deeper appreciation of the possibilities to enhance assessment, and renewed commitment to translate these insights into practices that strengthen our assessment system and better support the learning and development of every student.