SINGAPORE: One year after subject-based banding was fully implemented, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said the initiative has helped students learn at their own pace while instilling respect for diverse abilities. 

Speaking to CNA in an interview reviewing education policies from the current term of government, Mr Chan highlighted that his ministry is tracking key outcomes of subject-based banding, such as changing mindsets and nurturing a love for learning – beyond just academic performance.

In the wide-ranging interview, Mr Chan also touched on the tuition industry, the relationship between teachers and parents and how Singapore's higher education landscape needs to evolve to encourage continuous learning. 

Subject-based banding was one of the major policies introduced by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in the past five years. Others include changes to the Primary School Leaving Examination scoring system and the new Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate, which students will sit for from 2027, replacing the O-Level and N-Level examinations. 

On whether the intangible benefits will translate into academic results, Mr Chan stressed that it is "not that academics are not important", but MOE wants to look beyond them. 

He pointed out that soft skills, such as the ability to connect with people, are crucial. Not everything important in life can be measured, and just because something can be measured does not mean it is the most important, said the minister. 

The goal is to move away from a culture of "comparing ourselves with one another", he said.

"The results are not for comparison. The results are more for us to better understand ourselves, so that in the next step of our learning journey, we are sited in a more appropriate environment." 

MOE introduced subject-based banding to encourage respect for diverse capabilities rather than pigeonholing students into “a very simple matrix”, Mr Chan said. 

"Every child has a different profile, different gifts, different abilities ... We want people to respect the diversity of abilities.” 

The scheme also helps students recognise their strengths and weaknesses, and play to their strengths, said the minister. This, in turn, helps to shift attitudes and encourage a desire to learn. 

"HUGE LOGISTIC EXERCISE"

Asked whether MOE has observed early signs of the policy's benefits, Mr Chan said students are interacting more with peers of different abilities. Students now also have greater flexibility to take subjects at levels that match their capabilities.

However, he cautioned against excessive parental pressure to push children towards G3 in every subject. "We don't want a situation whereby the parents keep telling the kid that you must always strive for G3 regardless of your interests and abilities," he said. 

Subject-based banding requires significant resources, with Mr Chan describing it as a "huge logistic exercise" involving mass customisation, as students attend different classes according to their abilities. 

Secondary school students now also have to be more independent, as this model mirrors that of tertiary education, where there may be gaps in a student's timetable.

This shift also promotes self-directed learning, giving students opportunities to engage in independent study, pursue their own projects or take a break, Mr Chan said. 

While MOE has seen indications of a positive mindset shift, Mr Chan acknowledged he is "under no illusion" that it will take time for society to embrace the value of diverse strengths.

He urged Singaporeans to stop comparing students against one another, as they are also competing with the rest of the world. 

Looking at Singapore's scores for the Programme for International Student Assessment, 80 per cent of students are above the global average, said Mr Chan. 

"There is absolutely no reason why our students should feel down or out. But if we keep making our students compare themselves with one another ... there's always a winner or loser."

The real benchmark, he said, is how Singapore students perform globally.

ELITISM AND THE ALUMNI SYSTEM

Mr Chan also responded to questions about elitism in schools and whether the alumni system contributes to such mindsets.

Elitism can exist in schools whether they have strong alumni systems, he said. “Even if you are in a so-called top school … but if you make a conscious effort to reach out and to prove your naysayers wrong, then you have every right to tell them that you are not elitist.”

Society will “never be fully equal”, but Singapore will strive to be more egalitarian, he said. 

“As long as you're born in Singapore – you may not have an equal chance, and there may never be a situation where everybody has an equal chance to succeed – but you will have the best chance.” 

Alumni networks play a role in fostering school spirit and community ties, but this should not come at the expense of inclusivity, Mr Chan said.

He cited Anglo-Chinese School (Primary)’s move to Tengah as an example of expanding access. MOE is open to working with other schools that want to serve wider or more challenging communities, he added. 

“But on the other hand, we are also realistic that even if we move the schools around, then after a while … the community around it might change, and then you have another different challenge altogether.”