ON NOV 20, the Ministry of Education released statistics on Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) pass rates. It was stated that 92 per cent of homeschooled children had been assessed as suitable to proceed to secondary school, whereas 97 per cent of mainstream children had been so assessed.

In fact, homeschooled children are required to meet a higher standard to pass the PSLE than their mainstream counterparts. Homeschooled children are required to meet a PSLE benchmark of the 33rd percentile aggregate score of mainstream pupils, which approximately corresponds to a score of 191. This means homeschooled children must do better than one in three mainstream pupils.

As a corollary, it has been reported in the media that the two homeschooled children who 'failed' the PSLE, and are required to retake it, in fact achieved scores which would have qualified them for secondary school if they had been mainstream pupils.

The education system is predicated on equality of opportunity and inclusiveness. It seems inequitable that one group of Singapore citizens is treated differently to another when sitting the same examination. The T-score, not the place of study, should be the selector for secondary school.

Martin Rushton

This article was first published in The Straits Times on 2 Dec, 2008.