[3] The Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O-Level) examination was introduced in 1971.
Recent studies show that approximately 30,000 candidates take the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level exams annually.
For localised papers, the personal details of the student are omitted with the use of the Integrated Examination System where bar-code labels are used.
Obtaining a pass in one or more subjects will lead to a Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level).
The Oral and Listening Comprehension papers are usually taken in July, and the results for Mother Tongue are subsequently released in August.
In addition to the grade, it will also show the candidate's performance in the Oral/Aural Examination as Distinction (highest), Merit, Pass or Ungraded.
There are two sections in the national examination namely, Source-based Case Study (SBCS) and Structured Response Questions (SRQ).
For the SBCS section, students are required to examine and evaluate sources pertaining to three Social Studies Issues (1) Governance and Citizenship (2) Living a Diverse Society (3) Being Part of a Globalised World.
For the SRQ section, students are also required to offer suggestions to address societal concerns arising from the three issues.
Apart from the government schools, specialised private institutions offers Social Studies lessons to help students develop knowledge and skills required to master the subject.
While the questions are set by the Ministry of Education, the assessment is scheduled, carried out and marked by the school before submitting the scripts to the MOE.
[14] In 2018, the revision of the O Level Science Syllabus will see the SPA Component being phased out and replaced by the previous one-time Practical Examinations again.