O Levels
Introduction
Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Examinations (GCE 'O' Level) is the collaboration by the Ministry of Education of Singapore and the University of Cambridge and is recognized by many universities as the equivalent of the GCSE 'O' Certificate. The subjects offered are divided into two categories, Cambridge and Local, as certain subjects such as English Language are set and marked by the University while others like Mother Tongue are done by the Ministry of Education.
Subjects Offered
The following subjects are offered by the University of Cambridge:
English Language
Literature in English
Bible Knowledge
History
Geography
Combined Humanities
French
German
Japanese
Mathematics
Additional Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Science(Physics and Chemistry Combination)
Science(Physics and Biology Combination)
Science(Biology and Chemistry Combination)
Art and Design for AEP
Art and Design
Music for MEP
Music
Design and Technology
Food and Nutrition
Principles of Accounts
Combined Humanities is a paper that contains four papers that are based on different humanities subjects. Candidates are required to take two subjects, Social Studies and another Elective (Geography, History or English Literature).
Science Pure Papers are not allowed to be taken with the Science Combination papers that contain the particular science subject.
AEP and MEP students are not allowed to take the Art and Design paper and the Music paper respectively. These students must sit for the respective papers that are set for AEP and MEP.
The O Levels examinations are jointly set by the University of Cambridge and the Singapore Ministry of Education. Hence, certain papers come under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education. The Singapore Ministry of Education is responsible for setting and marking the Mother Tongue papers, including the Higher Mother Tongue, Mother Tongue Literature and Mother Tongue B papers.
Subject Streams
At the end of four years of education, five in the case of Normal (Academic) students, Special/Express students would sit for their GCE 'O' Levels examinations. Special/Express students would have to take a minimum of six subjects but not more than nine subjects or, in the case of the students in the GEP, ten subjects. Normal (Academic) students have to take at least four subjects but not more than seven subjects.
Special/Express students and GEP students must offer English Language, Mother Tongue, Mathematics, A Science Subject, Combined Humanities.
Normal (Academic) students must offer the following subjects in their examinations English Language, Mother Tongue, Mathematics, Combined Humanities.
The onset of Integrated Programmes in schools allowed many students in schools to bypass the 'O' Levels. However, these students are still required to offer 'O' Level in Mother Tongue.
Grading System
The following table shows how the grades are arranged.
| Grades | Percentage | Remarks |
| A1 | 75% and above | Pass Grade |
| A2 | 70% to 74% | |
| B3 | 65% to 69% | |
| B4 | 60% to 64% | |
| C5 | 55% to 59% | |
| C6 | 50% to 54% | |
| D7 | 45% to 49% | Fail Grade |
| E8 | 40% to 44% | |
| F9 | 39% and lower | Will not be recorded |
