No exam candidates affected by Thursday morning's train delays: SEAB

The Ministry of Education said candidates who are affected by the train service delay should inform their school and arrive at the exam centre before the end of the paper to sit for their exams. ST PHOTO: TAN SUE-ANN

SINGAPORE - No exam candidates were affected by the train delay on the East-West Line on Thursday (Sept 28) morning, said the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) in response to queries from The Straits Times.

As at 8.30am, no schools have informed SEAB that candidates sitting the PSLE English Language and GCE O-level Music Performing examinations were affected by the disruption, said the exam board.

Earlier in the morning, the Ministry of Education said that students who are affected by the train delay on EWL do not need to submit an excuse letter and will be given the full paper duration.

Thursday is the first day of the national Primary School Leaving Examination.

Candidates who are affected by the train service delay should inform their school and arrive at the exam centre before the end of the paper to sit for their exams, said MOE in a Facebook post.

"Full paper duration would be given. No excuse letter from the train station is required," added the statement.

SEAB also said in its statement that prior to the start of the national examinations, schools have been reminding candidates to plan for sufficient travel time and the actions they should take if affected by train service disruptions.

"Schools have also assured the candidates that the full duration of the paper would be given if they are affected," said the exam board.

"SEAB would like to assure examination candidates that they will not be penalised for being late if they have difficulties getting to their examination centres on time due to such disruptions. Candidates would always be given the full duration of the paper, no matter what time they start."

During the EWL delay earlier in the morning, students at Pasir Ris station The Straits Times spoke to said their journey to school was lengthened by the delay.

Dunman High School student Lee Wan Rong said she had a biology practical exam to sit. It normally takes her an hour to get to school from the train station, she added.

"I don't know if I'm late. I hope I can make it but I'm kind of worried. It's not a national exam so I won't take the slip from the MRT station but I will inform my teacher," said the 16-year-old.

Another secondary school student Samuel Teo, 16, said his journey to school in Pasir Ris took 1.5 hours due to the delay, compared to 25 minutes on a normal day.

"I'm taking my O levels in two weeks and I hope this doesn't happen. On that day I still will take the MRT - if anything happens, I guess it is a valid reason to be late," he said.

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