99.4 per cent of P6 students sat for the first PSLE paper, including 560 on quarantine order

SINGAPORE — Almost all Primary 6 students sat for the first Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) paper on Thursday (Sept 30), including 560 students from 90 schools who were on quarantine order.

In a statement late on Thursday night, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that of the 39,300 students sitting for the PSLE this year, 99.4 per cent sat for the English written examination.

The 560 students on quarantine order had met testing requirements, and so were allowed to leave quarantine to take the examination.

But they had to adhere to more stringent safety measures. For example, they were placed in a separate exam venue from the rest of the school cohort, had designated entry and exit points and also used different restrooms from other students.

An MOE spokesperson said that such necessary measures were strictly adhered to in schools on Thursday, ensuring the safe conduct of the examinations for all students and staff.

Earlier this week, MOE had detailed the testing requirements for students under quarantine order to continue sitting for their exams.

Such students would have to inform their school about their quarantine status and their intention to take the exam and turn in negative results on both a polymerase chain reaction test and an antigen rapid test. These students are also encouraged to go to school on their own by either taking a private transport or walking.

Candidates who had to miss the exam for valid reasons can apply for special consideration, as with previous years, MOE said.

This is a procedure which awards candidates with projected grades after taking into account factors such as the candidate's past performance and the school cohort’s performance in national and school-based examinations.

MOE added that all special consideration applications will be assessed on each case's merit, to ensure that the grades awarded are as accurate and fair as possible.