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https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...-students-in-spore-from-2026?ref=stories-card
Mr Neo Guang Xian (centre) with Secondary 3 students William Teh (left) and Jain Arnav at a computing lesson at Ngee Ann Secondary School.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Summary
Published Sep 08, 2025, 05:00 AM
Updated Sep 08, 2025, 06:20 AM
SINGAPORE - From 2026, all upper secondary students can opt to do computing as an elective subject, in a bid to equip students with increasingly important digital and computational thinking skills.
Previously offered only to G3 students, or those in the Express course, it will now include G2 students as well.
Students now take subjects at G1, G2 or G3 levels, which are broadly mapped from the Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic) and Express standards, respectively.
Mr Ong Kong Hong, the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) divisional director of curriculum planning and development division 1, said: “The syllabuses seek to develop students’ appreciation of computing as a creative field while raising their awareness of cyber security, emerging technology and the impact of computing.”
Other life skills, such as inventive thinking, communication, as well as striving for accuracy and thoroughness, will also be honed through the subject, he added.
The content covered increases in complexity and depth across the three levels.
G1 computing will replace the computer applications (CPA) subject, which is currently taken by students in the Normal (Technical) course. The subject was discontinued after the 2023 Secondary 1 cohort.
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About 1,300 students from some 60 schools currently take O-level computing, which will now be known as G3 computing.
They include about 90 Secondary 3 students who take the subject in school-based centres as part of a pilot in 2025 allowing more students to enrol.
G2 computing includes new content that would be useful in everyday life and develop deeper computational thinking skills, said Mr Ong.
“For example, students will engage in physical computing using microcontrollers to practise computational problem-solving in authentic real-world contexts.”
G1 computing exposes students to cloud computing and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Noor Arissa, a Secondary 3 student from Jurong West Secondary School, discovered computing and coding in 2024 through her school’s Applied Learning Programme, where she learnt to program robots. The programme is meant to help students connect academic knowledge and skills with the real world.
The 15-year-old decided to do G3 computing, which she describes as “different from her other subjects”.
Jurong West Secondary student Noor Arissa, 15, with her computing teacher, Madam Angeline Kiew.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
“One thing I like about it is how creative you can get... There are many ways to solve one problem, but you need to find out which way is the best,” she said.
Her computing teacher, Madam Angeline Kiew, said interest in the subject has been strong. About 60 upper secondary students are currently doing G3 computing in the school.
In a recent survey by her school, more than 60 Secondary 2 students indicated interest in taking G2 computing in 2026.
Based on the survey results, about 30 students are expected to take G1 computing, and more than 20 would like to do G3 computing in 2026.
Madam Kiew, who heads educational technology at Jurong West Secondary, said G1 and G2 computing students will pick up computational and basic coding skills using Scratch, a coding platform designed for younger children.
“At G2, students will go further, by acquiring data analysis and problem-solving skills,” she said.
At Jurong West Secondary, all students in the G1 posting group will do computing in Secondary 3 from 2026. And those in the G2 and G3 groups will have to pass mathematics to qualify for computing in upper secondary.
At Ngee Ann Secondary, students will have to score at least 60 for mathematics and attend an interview to assess if they are suitable for the subject at upper secondary.
“We want to make sure the kids are well set up for success, which is why we do look at a certain level of proficiency in maths, which demonstrates strength in computational thinking,” said Ms Poh Shi Hui, its principal.
Mr Neo Guang Xian, mathematics subject head at Ngee Ann Secondary, said the computing subject is especially relevant in today’s rapidly changing world.
The school currently has between 20 and 30 students in Secondary 3 and 4 studying G3 computing.
“We need to have some form of computational thinking to help us understand how to break down complex problems into smaller parts. Computing gives students the handles to approach smaller problems, where they figure out how to solve them step by step,” he said.
G1 computing will replace the computer applications subject, which is currently offered to students in the Normal (Technical) course.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
He added that the skills learnt in computing are transferable, applicable not just to other subjects like mathematics, but in daily scenarios too.
“A lot of careers involve AI, data analytics and other parts of technology. So if students learn computing at an early age, it gives them early exposure to what’s happening in the current job market,” said Mr Neo.
His student, William Teh, 15, said that although he initially struggled with coding programs like Python, he now relishes the challenge of solving problems.
“I’m in it for the problem-solving. The more trouble you go through, in the end the more satisfaction it brings you,” said the Secondary 3 student.
More on this topic
Elisha Tushara is a correspondent at The Straits Times, specialising in Singapore’s education landscape.
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MDDI (P) 048/10/2024. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2025 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.
Computing to be offered as elective subject to upper secondary students in S’pore from 2026
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Mr Neo Guang Xian (centre) with Secondary 3 students William Teh (left) and Jain Arnav at a computing lesson at Ngee Ann Secondary School.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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Secondary schoolSummary
- MOE introduces G1-G3 Computing syllabi, mapped to Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic), and Express levels, respectively, to enhance creative and practical computing skills.
- The content covered increases in complexity and depth across the three levels.
- Computing fosters problem-solving, critical for various careers, with students like William Teh finding satisfaction in overcoming coding challenges.
Published Sep 08, 2025, 05:00 AM
Updated Sep 08, 2025, 06:20 AM
SINGAPORE - From 2026, all upper secondary students can opt to do computing as an elective subject, in a bid to equip students with increasingly important digital and computational thinking skills.
Previously offered only to G3 students, or those in the Express course, it will now include G2 students as well.
Students now take subjects at G1, G2 or G3 levels, which are broadly mapped from the Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic) and Express standards, respectively.
Mr Ong Kong Hong, the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) divisional director of curriculum planning and development division 1, said: “The syllabuses seek to develop students’ appreciation of computing as a creative field while raising their awareness of cyber security, emerging technology and the impact of computing.”
Other life skills, such as inventive thinking, communication, as well as striving for accuracy and thoroughness, will also be honed through the subject, he added.
The content covered increases in complexity and depth across the three levels.
G1 computing will replace the computer applications (CPA) subject, which is currently taken by students in the Normal (Technical) course. The subject was discontinued after the 2023 Secondary 1 cohort.
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G1 computing will be similar to CPA, with some revisions in topics.About 1,300 students from some 60 schools currently take O-level computing, which will now be known as G3 computing.
They include about 90 Secondary 3 students who take the subject in school-based centres as part of a pilot in 2025 allowing more students to enrol.
G2 computing includes new content that would be useful in everyday life and develop deeper computational thinking skills, said Mr Ong.
“For example, students will engage in physical computing using microcontrollers to practise computational problem-solving in authentic real-world contexts.”
G1 computing exposes students to cloud computing and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Noor Arissa, a Secondary 3 student from Jurong West Secondary School, discovered computing and coding in 2024 through her school’s Applied Learning Programme, where she learnt to program robots. The programme is meant to help students connect academic knowledge and skills with the real world.
The 15-year-old decided to do G3 computing, which she describes as “different from her other subjects”.
Jurong West Secondary student Noor Arissa, 15, with her computing teacher, Madam Angeline Kiew.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
“One thing I like about it is how creative you can get... There are many ways to solve one problem, but you need to find out which way is the best,” she said.
Her computing teacher, Madam Angeline Kiew, said interest in the subject has been strong. About 60 upper secondary students are currently doing G3 computing in the school.
In a recent survey by her school, more than 60 Secondary 2 students indicated interest in taking G2 computing in 2026.
Based on the survey results, about 30 students are expected to take G1 computing, and more than 20 would like to do G3 computing in 2026.
Madam Kiew, who heads educational technology at Jurong West Secondary, said G1 and G2 computing students will pick up computational and basic coding skills using Scratch, a coding platform designed for younger children.
“At G2, students will go further, by acquiring data analysis and problem-solving skills,” she said.
At Jurong West Secondary, all students in the G1 posting group will do computing in Secondary 3 from 2026. And those in the G2 and G3 groups will have to pass mathematics to qualify for computing in upper secondary.
At Ngee Ann Secondary, students will have to score at least 60 for mathematics and attend an interview to assess if they are suitable for the subject at upper secondary.
“We want to make sure the kids are well set up for success, which is why we do look at a certain level of proficiency in maths, which demonstrates strength in computational thinking,” said Ms Poh Shi Hui, its principal.
Mr Neo Guang Xian, mathematics subject head at Ngee Ann Secondary, said the computing subject is especially relevant in today’s rapidly changing world.
The school currently has between 20 and 30 students in Secondary 3 and 4 studying G3 computing.
“We need to have some form of computational thinking to help us understand how to break down complex problems into smaller parts. Computing gives students the handles to approach smaller problems, where they figure out how to solve them step by step,” he said.
G1 computing will replace the computer applications subject, which is currently offered to students in the Normal (Technical) course.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
He added that the skills learnt in computing are transferable, applicable not just to other subjects like mathematics, but in daily scenarios too.
“A lot of careers involve AI, data analytics and other parts of technology. So if students learn computing at an early age, it gives them early exposure to what’s happening in the current job market,” said Mr Neo.
His student, William Teh, 15, said that although he initially struggled with coding programs like Python, he now relishes the challenge of solving problems.
“I’m in it for the problem-solving. The more trouble you go through, in the end the more satisfaction it brings you,” said the Secondary 3 student.
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Elisha Tushara is a correspondent at The Straits Times, specialising in Singapore’s education landscape.
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MDDI (P) 048/10/2024. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2025 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.
