PSLE jitters hit parents too: Tears and relief after results arrive
Tuesday (Nov 25) was a big day for Primary Six students across Singapore, as thousands collected their PSLE results.
While most students were relieved to move on to secondary school, parents felt the nerves just as keenly — the sleepless nights, the anticipation, and the pressure of their children's futures.
This year, 37,926 Primary 6 students sat for the exam, and 98.5 per cent of them qualified for secondary school, according to a joint press release from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB).
But for many families, the results weren't just numbers — they reflected months of worry and emotional ups and downs.
Social media showed just how real the pressure is for parents. Influencer and social worker @runnerkao posted on Instagram on Nov 25 about his wife's "PSLE nerves" — unable to sleep before results day and breaking down afterward.
Influencers Alex Lee and Bonita Ma, who run @familee.sg, also shared a video of their eldest son, Daken Lee, collecting his PSLE results. Daken was "disappointed by" his score, prompting his father to carefully consider his next steps.
Parents feel their children's anxiety…and their relief
Lawyer Walter Silvester, 49, told Stomp he stayed calm before his daughter's results, but the relief "was really for her" when she saw her score, as she could look forward to her next steps without "unnecessary worry".
For content creator Ana Zeya, 39, the days leading up to results were filled with anxiety. Her daughter had struggled during preliminary examinations, and the tension in the household was palpable. "When she shaved off 7 points, we were elated," she said.
Investor relations professional Roger Ng, in his mid-40s, said the stress only peaked when he saw his son tense up. "My first instinct wasn't about the number — it was relief that he could see his hard work reflected," he said.
A history of PSLE reforms
In Singapore, there's no bigger milestone for a 12-year-old than PSLE.
First introduced in 1960, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has modified the PSLE over the years to address concerns about the competitive nature of the education system and reduce student stress.
In 2012, the practice of naming top PSLE scorers was discontinued. One year later, reporting each cohort's highest and lowest aggregate scores in the result slips was also scrapped.
The recent change was the revamp of the PSLE scoring system.
Since 2021, students have been scored by Achievement Levels (AL), which reflect their performance relative to curriculum learning objectives.
Scores now range from 4 to 32, with 4 being the best.
MOE says the changes were meant to reduce fine differentiation among students at a young age and recognise achievement without comparing children to their peers.
It is a move away from the previous system, which focused on numerical scores.
Scoring continues — and so does the pressure
Parents told Stomp that while MOE reforms, including the introduction of ALs, have helped to some extent, competition and comparisons remain.
"Once there is a number, parents naturally start comparing," said Mr Silvester, noting that many still think in terms of the old scoring model — the system today's parents themselves grew up under.
Mrs Ana said the changes were "not adequate enough", adding, "It's basically the same thing under different terms, with a slight tweak."
Mr Ng said that even measures to reduce formal exams in schools simply mean families must "carry more of the load" at home. "Not every 12-year-old can self-manage timed practice or revision," he said.
Navigating choices under full SBB
After the PSLE results, parents are also navigating the changes brought by full Subject-Based Banding (SBB), which affects how their children move on to secondary school.
Under SBB, Primary 6 students are placed into Posting Groups 1, 2, and 3 — mapped from the previous Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic), and Express streams — which determine which schools they can enter and the initial level of subjects they take in Secondary 1.
Students can take subjects at three levels — G1, G2, or G3 — allowing them to be grouped by ability in each subject rather than overall academic performance, according to MOE.
Over time, they can adjust their subject levels based on their strengths, interests, and learning needs.
'Two-way conversation'
Parents say SBB has changed how they weigh their children's next steps — it's now less about chasing cut-off points and more about finding the right fit.
For Mrs Ana, her daughter's eligibility for all G3 subjects made the process straightforward. While school prestige matters to some, proximity was a key factor.
"We prefer schools that are near our home, as travelling takes up too much of their already packed schedule," she said.
For Mr Ng and his wife, choosing their son's secondary school is a "two-way conversation" about what really aligns with their son's needs.
"It's about helping him understand himself, rather than pushing him toward any particular path," he said.
