From 2027, the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) in its current form ends. MOE says it will stop admitting new Primary 4 students, and the existing classes will run until 2028, when the last batch finishes Primary 6. In its place, students who need more stretch can attend weekly advanced modules after school at a nearby designated centre, without moving to another school.

This is a change of model, not a like-for-like swap. Under the GEP, families had to consider transferring to one of the nine primary schools that host the programme today: MOE’s GEP overview lists Anglo-Chinese School (Primary), Catholic High School (Primary), Henry Park, Nan Hua, Nanyang, Raffles Girls’, Rosyth, St. Hilda’s and Tao Nan. MOE says those students will no longer need to transfer. Instead, 15 primary schools will serve as designated centres from 2027, chosen for a good geographic spread and public transport access. MOE says it will review that list from time to time. The pages we read do not name the 15 schools, so check MOE’s own material before you plan around one.

At a glance

  • The GEP in its current form is discontinued from 2027 and stops admitting new Primary 4 students (MOE, 3 March 2026).
  • Existing GEP classes continue until 2028, when the last batch completes Primary 6.
  • Advanced modules: one two-hour module a week in term time, in English, Mathematics or Science, after school at a designated centre near the child’s own school, plus interdisciplinary modules in the school holidays.
  • School-based provisions, such as E2K Mathematics and Science, are in every primary school; MOE says around 10% of the cohort will benefit, up from around 7%.
  • Identification: a standardised one-stage exercise in Primary 3, which MOE said would first be held in August 2026, plus identification at the end of each semester in Primary 4 and 5.
  • Fifteen primary schools will be designated centres from 2027.

What does the new identification mean for my child?

MOE says schools can use more than the one-stage exercise. Teachers’ observations and students’ work can also be used, and MOE will guide schools in identifying students. For a family, that means the school’s own information may matter as much as a test result, so ask the school how it identifies students and what it records. MOE’s 3 March 2026 release said schools would give parents and students more details about the identification process later this year; if your child is in Primary 3 now, watch for that notice from the school.

The modules are not extra schoolwork for exams. MOE says they are different from the academic curriculum and are not designed to prepare students for examinations. They are meant to stretch thinking, build curiosity and help students find like-minded peers. Because each module is in one subject, MOE expects more students to take them than the current GEP cohort, which is selected on strength across several subjects.

For most children the first step is the school’s own provision, not a centre. MOE says school-based provisions are already offered in every primary school and will reach about one in ten children; the centre modules are for those assessed to need stretch beyond that.

What should a family check for the transition? (our checklist)

  • Ask your child’s school what school-based provisions it offers for students with academic strengths, and how it identifies them.
  • Check whether a designated centre near the school is on MOE’s list once published, and how long the trip takes after school.
  • Weigh the two-hour weekly commitment against your child’s other activities and the family’s travel.
  • Ask the school whether a student can join at the end of Primary 4 or 5 if identification happens then.

This checklist is our suggestion, built from MOE’s wording. It is not an official MOE process.

Common questions

Will my child have to change schools?

MOE says students attending the advanced modules will not need to transfer to one of the nine schools that host the GEP today. They attend a designated centre near their own primary school.

When does identification happen?

MOE said in March 2026 that this year’s Primary 3 students would be the first to take the refreshed one-stage exercise, in August 2026. It also says students can be identified at the end of each semester in Primary 4 and 5.

Are the modules exam preparation?

No. MOE says they are not designed to prepare students for examinations.

Where do I find the list of the 15 centres?

The pages we read do not name them. MOE says it will review the list at appropriate junctures and points to its COS microsite for more detail, so check there or ask the school.

If you are weighing a centre module against an existing after-school commitment, our guide on how to choose an enrichment class sets out the questions to ask about time, travel and fit. Unfamiliar school terms are defined in our glossary of Singapore school terms, and the learning hub lists the other guides on this topic.

Sources

Something changed or worth adding?

Send a correction or suggestion

How we research and check our guides