Changes to A level curriculum

1. Fourth content-based subject not counted in university admissions

From 2026, students from junior colleges (JCs) and Millennia Institute (MI) will no longer be required to count their fourth content-based subject in their university admissions, unless it improves their score.

Currently, students from JCs and MI, who apply to autonomous universities, must include four content-based subjects, General Paper and Project Work in their application.

For a student who offers four H2 content-based subjects, the lowest-scoring subject at H2 level is considered as a subject at H1 level when calculating the score. This will remain the case under the new system.

Today, 20 points are awarded for each of three H2 subjects. General Paper, Project Work, and the remaining content subjects account for 10 points each, bringing the highest possible score to 90 points. Mother Tongue, which also counts for 10 points, is only considered if it improves the score, and the total score is then rebased to 90 points.

Under the new system, 20 points will continue to be awarded for each of the three H2 subjects. The General Paper will also account for 10 points, but both the remaining content subject and Mother Tongue will be included only if they improve the total score, upon a total of 70 points.

2. Removal of Mid-year exams

From 2024, mid-year exams will be gradually removed in JCs and MI. Fortunately, these changes do not mean more school-based assessments. Schools are also imposed a cap of one weighted assessment per subject per term. These changes are part of the ministry’s efforts to move away from an over-emphasis on testing and academic results.

3. Removal of PW from calculation of university admission score

To give students more leeway to pursue their interests without worrying about results, Project Work (PW) will be removed from the calculation of their university admission grade for the JC1 intake in 2024. Instead of letter grades, they will be graded pass or fail. Passing the subject is required for admission to autonomous universities.

4. Making General Paper compulsory

General Paper will be mandatory for all JC and MI students beginning in 2024 to provide students with opportunities to develop skills such as critical thinking through the study of current affairs and contemporary issues.

Knowledge and Inquiry, a subject that deals with the nature and construction of knowledge, may currently be offered in place of General Paper or as a "contrasting subject." Students must take at least one contrasting subject instead of all humanities or all science subjects.

In summary, the main changes to the A level curriculum are:

1. Fourth content-based subject not counted in university admissions unless it helps in the overall score
2. Removal of mid-year examinations
3. Removal of Project Work from calculation of university scores
4. General Paper becomes mandatory

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