Forum: Low cut-off points signal need to rethink JC entry system

As the father of a Secondary 3 student who is in a neighbourhood school and who hopes to qualify for the science stream in one of the top junior colleges (JCs), I was disappointed and troubled to read about the low cut-off points for entry into schools such as Raffles Institution (RI) and Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) (

RI, Hwa Chong record low cut-off points for entry in 2026; overall dip across JCs

, Feb 14). 

The article stated that the cut-off for the science stream in both schools was three points after accounting for bonus points from co-curricular activities (CCAs) and higher mother tongue.

Consider a student who, despite average PSLE grades that made her ineligible for the Integrated Programme and higher mother tongue, works hard to excel in secondary school. She scores straight A1s at the O levels – a raw L1R5 score of six – and earns two bonus points from CCA. Yet her net score of four still falls short of the cut-off. By contrast, another student with a raw L1R5 score of seven but who gains four bonus points from CCA and a passing grade of C6 in higher mother tongue secures a place.

The system gives undue advantage to those who had the opportunity to take higher mother tongue – an option not uniformly offered across schools or open to all students. The current structure penalises students for circumstances beyond their control, and contradicts the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) aim of reducing exam stakes to create a more inclusive and equitable system.

An HCI student sympathised with some of her peers who had raw L1R5 scores of six and net scores of four but did not make the cut for HCI. She said it was “a pity” that they were disadvantaged simply because not all classes in their secondary schools offered higher mother tongue, or they were “not given the option to take higher mother tongue or did not apply for it”.

A fairer approach would be to cap the maximum deduction at two bonus points – chosen either from CCA or higher mother tongue – to ensure a more level playing field for all.

I applaud the MOE’s recent steps to review how exam results are used, and its willingness to consider new ideas. I hope it will re-examine the JC cut-off system to ensure that students are not constrained by decisions made years earlier or by the uneven distribution of opportunities.

Dinesh Subramaniam