Students who sat the GCE A-level examination last year achieved the best passing rate since the curriculum was revised in 2006.
Of the 13,042 students who took the exams as school candidates, 12,170 students, or 93.3 per cent, achieved at least three H2 passes and a pass in General Paper or Knowledge and Inquiry, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board yesterday.
The rate is a 0.3 percentage point improvement on the 93 per cent rate achieved by the 2017 cohort.
Previously, the highest passing rate since 2006 was 93.1 per cent, achieved by the 2015 cohort.
Former students of many of the junior colleges (JCs) went back to school as early as 1.30pm to collect their results, which were given out from 2.30pm.
Those from Jurong Junior College and Pioneer Junior College streamed into Jurong Pioneer Junior College - previously the premises of Pioneer JC - to collect their results.
The two JCs were among the eight that were merged this year owing to a drop in student intake nationwide.
In the school hall of Jurong Pioneer JC, more than 600 former students from the last Pioneer JC batch waited with their teachers, and cheered as the school administration declared an overall improvement in their school's performance compared with the previous year.
Applause also greeted the unveiling of the top performers as well as students who had shown excellence in leadership and other non-academic pursuits.
Jurong JC also did significantly better than the previous year, said Jurong Pioneer JC principal Hang Kim Hoo. "The (merged) college is happy about the achievements."
Earlier this month, the MOE had said that A-level graduates who qualify for course exemptions and who are not enlisting in national service can enter the polytechnics in the same year that they receive their A-level results.
Those who apply to the local universities will know if they are accepted by the end of July. Those who fail to get in could consider diploma courses at the polytechnics.
The application period for polytechnic courses starts in mid-August. Those who get a place and the course exemptions may start their diploma studies in the second semester, in October.
Former Jurong JC student Ben Tay, 20, is grateful to his principal for letting him retake his A levels as he improved on his previous results. "I will apply for a university place first. If I am not accepted, I will see what my other choices are."
SEE HOME
