Removing PSLE or DSA could create new pressures, send wrong signals: David Neo

Removing the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) or Direct School Admission (DSA) could shift pressure elsewhere and send the wrong signals, Second Minister for Education David Neo said on Tuesday (Sep 29). For example, a through-train model that skips the PSLE could shift competition to Primary 1 admission or balloting for secondary schools. Scrapping the DSA programme entirely could send the pressure back to the PSLE and wrongly signal that only academic results matter, he said. Speaking at the 2026 Institute of Policy Studies forum, Mr Neo said the Ministry of Education (MOE) will study public feedback on the primary-to-secondary school transition, where young students face the "most acute" pressure. "For every proposal, we should ask: Will it give our children more room to learn, to explore and to grow? Will it preserve fairness and maintain high standards? Would it help families focus more on a school's fit for their child? Where might it displace competition and stress?" he asked. Read more: https://cna.asia/4xQuR52 Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Visit our website: https://cna.asia Download our app: https://cna.asia/app Get our editors' picks of stories via chat apps: Telegram: https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp: https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us on these platforms: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia