What are the key differences between the Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) and the GCE O-Level and N(T)/N(A)-Level certificates?

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The Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) will be implemented from 2027, and students will sit for the Singapore-Cambridge SEC examination. The SEC will report results of subjects at G3, G2 and G1 levels, which are of the same examination format and standards as the GCE O-, N(A)- and N(T)-Level papers respectively. Students may sit for a combination of different subject levels (e.g. some subjects at G3 and others at G2) but not different levels for the same subject. Students will receive an SEC that reflects the subjects and subject levels they offer.

As students will no longer be streamed into Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) courses from 2024, the SEC examination timetable will be consolidated into a single sitting to allow students to better pace their learning throughout the year. Please refer to the table in the section Examination timetable for the changes.

	Current (2026 and before)	From 2027
GCE N(T)/N(A)-Level Examinations	GCE O-Level Examinations	SEC Examinations
Non-written exam components, e.g., oral, listening comprehension, practical	These examinations will continue to be held before the written examinations.
Other written examinations	Held in mid-September to mid-October	Held in mid-October to mid-November	One common period, starting in October
English Language written examinations	Held together with other written examinations for N- or O-Level subjects respectively.	Held in September alongside MTL written examinations.
MTL written examinations	Held in one sitting for N(A) and N(T) MTL	Held in two exam sittings: one during mid-year, one during O-Level written examinations period.	G1/G2/G3 MTL and G3 Higher MTL examination held in one sitting in September alongside English Language written examinations.
Results release	Held in mid-December	Held in mid-January of the following year	One common results release, held in January of the following year.

What are the key differences between the Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) and the GCE O-Level and N(T)/N(A)-Level certificates?

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