Pre-school 3-4 [one year getting to know other kids]
Kindergarten 4-6 [two years of drinking milk and taking afternoon naps]
Primary 6-12 [six years of hard slog]
Primary 1-4 [foundation years] students learn the basics of English, Maths and Science.
Primary 5&6 [‘orientation’ years] students are streamed according to ability – known as ‘subject – based banding’.
Secondary 12-16 or 17 [four or five years] Students are streamed depending on academic ability:
Special – four years leading to a Singapore/ Cambridge”O’ level qualification
‘Express’ – four years leading to a Singapore/ Cambridge “O’level qualification
Yeah, I can’t really see much difference their either, maybe the ‘Special Ones” get air- conditioned classrooms?
‘Normal’[Academic] – four years lading to an ‘N’ qualification [which probably stand for ‘ Not very bright but these guys do have the chance to study another year to upgrade to ‘O’ level.
‘Normal’[Technical]- not exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer, this group might be good with their hands so they do more ‘vocational’ stuff.
Yeah, it all sounds a bit tricky but it seems to work; over 11 percent of the population goes on to study at least Bachelor’s degree level.