Almost 90% of inmates who sat for O-Levels qualify for ITE, polytechnics or junior colleges

Singapore—In a year that has seen record-high passing rates for students who took the O-Level examinations, another group of examinees also distinguished themselves with high passing rates. The inmates at Changi Prison did very well, with nearly 9 out of 10 examinees qualifying for studies at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics or junior colleges.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs Amrin Amin congratulated the inmates on their excellent O-Levels performance on Wednesday (Jan 15), and said that he had gone to Changi Prison on that day in order to celebrate with them and their families.

There were 58 inmates who took the exam last here, Mr Amrin wrote. From among them, 16 obtained at least three distinctions and 43 had gotten at least one distinction.

Forty-nine of the examinees had 3 or more O-Level passes, and 51, or 87.9 percent of them were able to qualify for further studies.

Mr Amrin wrote of how proud he is of them not only once but three times in a Facebook post.

“I am proud of them… More than anything else, I am very proud that they tried and did their best. It took a lot for them to return to school.

They did not let their past haunt them. Neither did the prison bars bar them from trying, aspiring, striving.

They worked hard. Teachers from Prison School mentored and guided them. Parents, loved ones, prison officers supported them.

I am proud to represent you to cheer them on! There is nothing ordinary about this exams for them – it’s extraordinary!”

The results of the O-Level exams were released on Monday (Jan 13).

The results, according to a press release on the website of the Ministry of Education (MOE), showed that this year’s results are at a record high, with 20,805 (85.2 percent) of the candidates having five or more O-Level passes.

In 2018, the rate of examinees getting five or more passes was at 84.8 percent, the highest it had been in at least 30 years. The previous record high had been set in 2016, when 84.3 percent of the students who had taken the O-Level exams had obtained five or more passes.

The statement from the MOE also showed that from the total of 24,409 students who had taken the O-Level exam, 24,377 (or 99.9 percent) of the examinees had obtained one or more O-Level passes. There were 23,550 (or 96.5 percent) who had gotten five or more O-Level passes.

The GCE O-level examination helps students decide their next steps after finishing secondary school, whether they wish to go on to either junior college or a polytechnic. The results of the O-Levels are used by students for applying to these institutions.

Read related: 2019 GCE O-Level results see record high of candidates with 5 or more passes

2019 GCE O-Level results see record high of candidates with 5 or more passes