Some 82.7 per cent of the students who took the GCE O-level examination last year achieved five or more passes - the highest in recent years.

In 2012, 81.3 per cent scored five or more passes. The figure had stayed below 82 per cent in the past few years.

Of the 34,124 school candidates who sat the O-level exam last year, 95.7 per cent scored three or more passes, and 99.9 per cen passed at least one O-level subject, the Ministry of Education said on Monday. Overall, the cohort size was smaller, compared to some 37,000 students who took the exam in 2012.

Source: Ministry of Education

Compiled by Lin Zhaowei

Separately, 90.3 per cent of the 4,170 students from the Secondary 4 Normal (Academic) course who took one or more O-level subjects last year obtained at least one pass.

A total of 2,615 private candidates also sat the exam, with 90.3 per cent of them being awarded certificates.

Students can use their O-level results to apply to junior colleges, the Millennia Institute, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education through the Joint Admissions Exercise or Joint Polytechnic Special Admissions Exercise. Registration for both exercises began at 3pm, Monday, and will end at 4pm on Jan 17. Posting results will be out tentatively on Feb 5.

Students can visit ecareers.sg, an education and career guidance portal hosted by MOE that provides information on the options available to them.