KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

What is known is MTL exemption are given to returning students and dyslexic. Hearsay, w/o MTL, students can still make it to IP programs. Also hearsay, w/o MTL, it will pull down the overall T-score and unable goto Express stream. So what is the truth? Anyone got MTL exemption stories to share? W/o MTL did it affect the Tscore? Did he make it to Express?

My experience is - I know two kids who are MT exempt (returning s'poreans, different families) they scored 265 and 260, so I don't think it adversely affects T-score. In fact, could even be opposite? Not sure about that though.

So far, I have yet to hear of any kids with MT exemption who scored above 270. Perhaps, that is the 'penalty' for having MT exemption?

metz wrote:So far, I have yet to hear of any kids with MT exemption who scored above 270. Perhaps, that is the 'penalty' for having MT exemption?

This is exact what we are here to solve. MOE is silent on this and teachers, as usual, are reassuring but has no clue and no comments. Maybe real parents w/ real kids can shed some lights.

I think that MT exemption helps those students whose MT is poorer than their other subjects. And for most students who ask for MT exemption, that should be all! They eliminate their lowest score and get more time to spend on the other subjects.

We should distinguish between the reasons for exemption though. For those who have some learning disability, the reason for exemption is that they need the extra time to focus on the other subjects as they are usually struggling with one or more of the other subjects due to their disability. Thes students may not be able to get high scores. Those who are exempted because of living overseas, if they are academically able, can do well in the other subjects, but just don't have the time to catch up with MT. My daughter was one of these - we returned in June of her PSLE year, so she was exempted from MT. She didn't score over 270, but was just a couple of points below. You also need to bear in mind that returning students also have some (or a lot of) catchup to do in other subjects too as they will have missed a lot of the drilling that Singapore schools provide.

In my children's sch, the top PSLE scorer has been a student who doesn't take MT for the past 3 yrs, including this year. They all scored 26x. For this yr, the top scorer started learng MT in P3 but he doesn't take the PSLE exam.
I think they hv a choice to offer the paper bcos my dd's fren who oso started learng MT in P3 took the MT paper, she scored 229.

From hearsay stories, there seem to be no disadvantage at all. A fair number of them have PHD mothers and 'so' they have no problem crossing 250 even with 3 subjects. Anyone here with band 3 - 4 results, dropped MT, managed to score above 200 and continue in Express?

students exempted from MTL can't apply for SAP schools.

lexis wrote:students exempted from MTL can't apply for SAP schools.

NYG has quite a number w/ no MTL. NYG is not alone. Anyone can add other examples of SAP schools with no MTL students?

matrix0405 wrote:

lexis wrote:students exempted from MTL can't apply for SAP schools.

NYG has quite a number w/ no MTL. NYG is not alone. Anyone can add other examples of SAP schools with no MTL students?

Are you certain that these students were accepted via their PSLE T-scores without MT? Could they be those who took SPERS instead? A friend's son was offered a list of schools including HCI and was granted MT exemption (but he didn't choose HCI). The child sat only for English and Mathematics papers.

Edit: Just called HCI regarding this. Yes, students with MTL exemption who meet the COP will be accepted. HOWEVER, the students are required to study Chinese during the six years and sit for 'A' level Chinese.