Thriving Together: Maximising the Potential of Education
Last Updated: 06 Mar 2025
1 At the 2025 Committee of Supply Debate, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced initiatives to strengthen students' holistic development and maximise their potential, extend greater support to working adults to upskill and learn for life, as well as deepen partnerships across the education ecosystem to enhance teaching and learning. These initiatives will further advance our Forward Singapore agenda, to develop multiple pathways to success, and embrace learning beyond grades.
Maximising Our Students' Potential
2 In recent years, MOE has made decisive and significant moves to broaden the definitions of merit and encourage holistic development in our students, such as through the PSLE Achievement Level Scoring System, and the introduction of Full Subject-Based Banding to remove streaming in secondary schools. Building on these, MOE will revise the Junior College (JC) admission criteria and rejuvenate our JC infrastructure, better support students with special educational needs, as well as offer more sports Strategic Partnership Co-Curricular Activity (SP-CCA).
Revised JC Admission Criteria
3 From the 2028 Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE), MOE will reduce the number of subjects required for JC admission from six to five, by shifting from the current L1R5 (six subjects) gross aggregate score to L1R4 (five subjects). This allows students to free up time from offering one fewer subject, to strengthen their development of 21st Century Competencies and pursue other interests.
4 Under the revised JC admission criteria, students must attain an L1R4 gross aggregate score of 16 or less (as compared to the current L1R5 gross aggregate score of 20 or less). Students will continue to be sufficiently prepared for the rigour of the JC curriculum, as the computation of the L1R4 aggregate continues to require three subjects from both the Mathematics/Science and the Humanities subject groups, to ensure that students have an adequate foundation in the disciplines. Millennia Institute (MI)'s L1R4 subject requirements will also be updated to require these three subjects, while the qualifying threshold will remain at 20.
5 The bonus points cap for JC admission will be lowered from a maximum of four points to three points to account for the reduction in the number of subjects included in the L1R4 aggregate computation. The bonus points cap for admission to MI will also be aligned with that for JC admission.
[Please refer to info-sheet 1 for more details on the revised JC admission criteria.]
JC Rejuvenation Programme (JCRP)1
6 Four JCs — Anderson Serangoon JC, Jurong Pioneer JC, Temasek JC, and Yishun Innova JC — are currently being rejuvenated under Phase 1 of the JCRP. The rejuvenated campuses will see enhanced facilities such as configurable spaces that cater to different settings and pedagogies (e.g. seminar style teaching and project work discussions), as well as students' interests and niche programmes (e.g. STEM activities). Staff will also have multi-functional workspaces to facilitate interactions and collaborations. MOE has been working closely with the four JCs on the designs of the redeveloped campuses, with an estimated budget of about $570 million. The four JCs under Phase 1 are expected to operate from their rejuvenated campuses from January 2028. Please refer to Annex A for artist impressions of the Phase 1 post-rejuvenated campuses.
7 Phase 2 of the JCRP will cover Anglo-Chinese JC, Catholic JC, National JC and Victoria JC. More details on the development plans of these four JCs, including possible relocation plans, will be shared in due course.
Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
(A) Expand internship and employment support at ITE
8 MOE and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will expand the ITE-SG Enable (SGE) Internship and Employment Support Programme to support more Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students with SEN as they transit from ITE to employment. Started in mid-2024, students under this programme receive training in areas such as résumé and interview preparation as well as workplace communication, to better prepare them to join the workforce. Students are then placed in suitable internship or job roles, and supported by a job coach to help them adapt to the workplace.
9 ITE and SGE are working closely to expand this programme. ITE will expand the programme to cater to more students with SEN, so that a greater number can benefit from customised pre-internship training, as well as internship placement and on-site job coaching and support during their internship. MSF will share more about the enhancements to employment support under this programme.
(B) Further use of technology to enhance Special Education (SPED) school processes
10 MOE has been working with Social Service Agencies (SSAs) and SPED schools to further leverage information technology and digitalisation to enhance SPED school processes, enhancing efficiency and facilitating seamless data sharing. This reduces administrative workload and provides SPED educators with more time to focus on strengthening teaching and learning outcomes. MOE is exploring digital solutions for SPED school processes, including the potential extension of existing MOE systems to SPED schools.
(C) National SPED Curriculum
11 With the introduction of the remaining two SPED Teaching and Learning Syllabuses (TLSs) in 2024, MOE has established a National SPED Curriculum with seven TLSs, to uplift the quality of curriculum, teaching and learning in SPED schools2.
12 SPED schools will use the National SPED Curriculum to customise their own school curriculum and enhance content, pedagogy and assessment to equip their students with the knowledge, skills and attributes to achieve the desired SPED Living, Learning and Working outcomes. The National SPED Curriculum also promotes stronger collaborations between educators and allied professionals, and partnerships with families and the community.
13 The National SPED Curriculum also informs the professional development roadmap for teachers and provides the basis for quality assurance and benchmarking across the SPED sector, so that all SPED students can work towards the desired outcomes, regardless of the school they attend.
(D) Updates on SPED Communities of Practice (COPs)
14 As SSAs and SPED schools have developed specialised expertise in the disability profiles they serve, MOE has engaged SSAs and SPED schools to set up SPED COPs and cross-schools Networked Learning Communities. These initiatives aim to deepen disability knowledge, foster professional collaborations and share good practices across the SPED sector. The inaugural SPED COP on Multiple Disabilities, established in 2024, convened in February 2025. 14 practitioners from Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore, AWWA and Rainbow Centre came together to share insights and reflect on their practices to improve student outcomes. A second SPED COP on autism will be set up in the second half of 2025.3
Expansion of SP-CCA to include more sports
15 In partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), MOE has expanded the current sports SP-CCA from Athletics and Water Polo to include Canoeing from 2025 and Hockey from 2026. SP-CCA provides additional CCA options for students beyond their school's offerings, and brings students from different secondary schools together to pursue a common interest and forge friendships. This year, 105 students are participating in SP-CCA Athletics, 77 in SP-CCA Water Polo, and 35 in the new SP-CCA Canoeing.
Maximising Our Workforce's Potential
16 MOE will continue to promote and support lifelong learning beyond formal schooling years, to ensure our workforce remains relevant and adaptable to future challenges.
Enhancing support for mid-career individuals under the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme (SFLP)
(A) Launch of Full-Time Training Allowance
17 The SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme (SFLP) supports mid-career Singapore Citizens aged 40 and above to upskill and reskill to stay competitive and relevant amidst a rapidly changing economy. Under the SFLP, mid-career workers who take time off work to pursue full-time long-form training can tap on the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance to partially address the loss in income.
18 Applications for full-time training allowance will open from 10 March 2025, for those who are already enrolled or intend to enrol in an eligible programme. Applicants will be eligible to receive 50% of their average income over the latest available 12-month period, with a minimum allowance of $300 per month and maximum allowance of $3,000 per month.
(B) Extension of SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance to include part-time courses
19 To support mid-career workers who wish to continue working while pursuing substantive training, MOE will extend the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance to selected part-time training from early 2026. Eligible individuals will receive a flat rate of $300 per month to support incidental training expenses such as books and transport. With this extension, Singaporeans aged 40 and above will be eligible for a maximum of 24 months of the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance regardless of whether the training is part-time or full-time. The implementation details will be released later.
[Please refer to info-sheet 2 for more details on SFLP updates and enhancements]
Extension of ITE Progression Award (IPA) to include Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) diplomas
20 The IPA, introduced in March 2024, supports ITE graduates to upskill to a diploma earlier to better prepare them for progression prospects in their chosen professions. Under the IPA, eligible ITE graduates will receive top-ups to their Post-Secondary Education Account when they enrol in a diploma issued by an MOE-funded institution, and to their CPF Ordinary Account when they complete their diploma.4 An estimated S$90 million has been awarded to around 12,000 ITE graduates who enrolled in or completed their diplomas in 2024.
21 From 1 June 2025, the IPA will be extended to support ITE graduates aged 30 and below who pursue diploma programmes offered under the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ).5 These WSQ diplomas equip individuals with the skills and credentials needed to access quality jobs and are aligned with the national Skills Framework and subject to quality assurance by SkillsFuture Singapore.
22 As a one-time arrangement, the IPA will also be awarded to the following groups:
- All Singaporean ITE graduates already enrolled in a WSQ diploma as at 1 June 2025, regardless of age, will receive a $10,000 top-up to their CPF-OA account upon completion of the WSQ diploma; and
- Singaporean ITE graduates aged 31 who enrol in a WSQ diploma from 1 June 2025 to 31 December 2025 (see Figure A).6
Figure A: Disbursement of IPA
| Enrolment in Diploma* | Completion of Diploma* | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ITE | Work-Study Diploma | Course fees borne by employers | Eligible for $10,000 CPF Ordinary Account Top-Up To boost savings for longer-term goals |
| Technical Diploma Technical Engineer Diploma |
Eligible for $5,000 PSEA Top-Up To help with the costs of obtaining a diploma |
||
| Polytechnic | Full-Time Diploma Part-Time Diploma |
||
| NAFA/LASALLE | Full-Time Diploma | ||
| National Institute of Early Childhood Development | Diploma | ||
| [New] Singapore Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) | Diploma | ||
*Provided ITE graduate enrols in the course by age 30. Age of ITE graduate will be calculated by year of birth. For example, those born between 1 January 1995 to 31 December 1995 will be considered 30 years old in 2025.
New Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) campus
23 MOE will support SUSS to build a new campus at the site and vicinity of the former Rochor Centre, which will be ready by the mid-2030s. This will enable SUSS to enhance the educational experiences of its diverse student body, which includes students earning their first degree before they start work, as well as working adults. The central location will also increase the university's accessibility for both student profiles and for SUSS's partners in the industry and the social sectors. Please refer to Annex B for the location map.
Maximising Our Education Ecosystem's Potential
24 In our shared vision for education, students embrace learning beyond grades and are empowered to fulfil their individual potentials regardless of their starting points. MOE will continue our efforts to leverage technology to better customise students' learning and strengthen technology-enabled learning across all schools.
25 Nurturing the next generation requires the support and partnership of parents, educators and the wider community to build a conducive environment that caters to the diverse learning needs of our students. Our students benefit when there is a robust ecosystem of support, with teachers empowered to focus on purposeful work that brings out the best in their students. MOE has refreshed the Guidelines for School-Home Partnership to provide clearer guidance on how parents and teachers can work together to raise a happy, confident and kind generation.
Footnotes
- MOE announced in 2019 that JCs with more dated campuses would be rejuvenated to better support teaching and learning to support more interactive models of teaching and learning, as well as to cater to future needs of students and staff, as part of a multi-phase Junior College Rejuvenation Programme. More information can be found here:
- The seven Teaching and Learning Syllabuses are Visual Arts and Daily Living Skills (introduced in 2021), Vocational Education (2022), Communication & Language and Social-Emotional Learning (2023), Physical Education and Numeracy (2024).
- More information on SPED COPs, including the SPED COP for Multiple Disabilities, can be found here: www.moe.gov.sg/news/press-releases/20241003-strengthening-leadership-development-and-deepening-expertise-in-special-education
- More information on the IPA can be found here: https://www.moe.gov.sg/ipa
- More information on the WSQ can be found here: https://www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/wsq
- Refers to students born between 1 January 1994 to 31 December 1994.