Puzzled About G1, G2 & G3 Levels and Full Subject-Based Banding?
Singapore’s Secondary education landscape has evolved to become more flexible and inclusive. One of the biggest changes introduced by the Ministry of Education (MOE) is the new Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB) system: A move designed to support every student’s strength and learning pace.
Starting from the 2024 Secondary 1 cohort, all Singapore secondary schools students will come under this Full SBB system.
Correlation Between G1, G2 & G3 Subject Levels and Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB)
G1, G2, and G3 are the 3 new subject levels in Singapore’s secondary school education system under the latest Full SBB initiative, which replaces the former Express, Normal (Academic) (N(A)), and Normal (Technical) (N(T)) streams.
The “G” stands for “General”, and the levels represent varying degrees of academic demand.
The goal of Full SBB is to provide a more personalized, inclusive educational experience that caters to diverse learning needs and reduces the stigma associated with traditional streaming.
Understanding the “G” Levels
|
Level |
Former Stream Equivalent |
Academic Demand |
Focus |
|
G3 |
Express |
Most demanding |
In-depth, faster pace, pre-O-Level/SEC preparation. |
|
G2 |
Normal (Academic) |
Intermediate/Moderate |
Balanced curriculum, full content at a moderate pace. |
|
G1 |
Normal (Technical) |
Least demanding |
Foundational concepts, more scaffolding and practical application. |
Core Concepts of the Full SBB System
The Full SBB aims to create a more flexible, inclusive Secondary school education by removing rigid streams (Express, N(A), N(T)) to better cater to individual strengths, foster greater social mixing, and develop diverse learning pathways, allowing students to take subjects at different levels, i.e., G1, G2, and G3.
This system promotes a “joy of learning” by letting students focus on subjects where they excel, reduces stigmatization, and builds confidence through learning alongside peers from different academic backgrounds in mixed form classes, to better prepare them for a variety of post-secondary advancement pathways, including junior colleges, polytechnics, and ITE.
How The Full SBB System Works?
- Flexibility: Under Full SBB, students are no longer locked into a single stream. They can take different subjects at different G-levels based on their individual strengths and learning needs. For example, a student might take Mathematics at G3 level, English at G2, Science at G1, and Mother Tongue at G2, based on own academic fortes and learning demands in each subject.
- Initial Placement: Students are initially placed into secondary school via Posting Groups PG1, PG2, or PG3 based on their PSLE results, which guides their initial subject levels at the start of Secondary 1 (e.g., a student in Posting Group 3 will mostly take G3 subjects).
- Progression: Students can adjust their subject levels (move up or down) at appropriate junctures throughout their secondary school journey, based on performance, with teacher guidance and the school’s recommendation.
- Mixed Form Classes: Full SBB system encourages interaction among peers with diverse strengths and backgrounds by having students from different Posting Groups in the same form class for non-academic activities, removing the stigma associated with the old Streaming system.
- New National Examinations: From 2027, the first batch of Full SBB students will sit for a common Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) examination with a single certificate that reflects the G1, G2, or G3 level for each subject they took, which replaces the existing O-Level and N-Level certifications.
Hua Cheng Advantages
Every student’s Chinese learning journey is unique, whether your child is taking G2, G3, or Higher Chinese, Hua Cheng is well positioned to provide the optimal support to help them excel.
Our programme-specific G2, & G3 Level Chinese and Higher Chinese courses are aligned with the MOE Chinese Language Syllabus under Full SBB, with particular focuses on:
- Comprehension Techniques: Learning to identify key ideas and answer with accuracy.
- Essay Writing Mastery: Guiding students through structure, creativity, and vocabulary use.
- Oral Communication Practice: Improving fluency, pronunciation, and confidence.
- Vocabulary Building: Expanding expressions through thematic and idiomatic learning.
Secure the BEST Secondary Chinese Programme for Your Child
Every student can achieve academic success in Chinese – with the right guidance and motivation.
Contact us today to discover how we can help your child achieve Chinese language mastery with confidence and joy under the new Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB) system.