GEP Changes in Singapore 2027: What Parents Need to Know Now

From 2027, children entering Primary 4 will no longer join the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) as families have known it. The Ministry of Education (MOE) is closing the programme to new entrants, while pupils already in it will finish Primary 6 as planned, with the last batch completing in 2028.

For parents, the key change is that high-ability primary school students now stay in their own school, take enrichment classes there, and, if selected, travel once a week to one of 15 designated centres for advanced modules. Nobody has to switch schools at Primary 4 anymore.

Education Minister Desmond Lee confirmed the details in March 2026, building on the 2024 decision to end the GEP in its current form. Families with a child in Primary 3 this year are the first to go through the new identification process. Those with younger children can plan school choices and enrichment with a clearer picture of what lies ahead.

What Replaces the GEP, and How Does It Work?

Two layers of support replace the GEP: enrichment provided inside every primary school, and a more selective set of weekly advanced modules held at 15 centres. A child qualifies subject by subject, so a pupil strong only in mathematics can still be stretched in mathematics without needing to excel across the board.

When Does the Existing GEP End?

MOE has set a firm end date. The GEP will cease admitting new Primary 4 students from 2027, and existing classes continue until the last batch finishes Primary 6 in 2028.

In practice, the timeline looks like this:

• Primary 3 in 2025: the last cohort to sit the old two-stage GEP tests, entering the GEP in Primary 4 in 2026.
• Primary 3 in 2026: the first cohort under the new system, starting with identification in August 2026.
• 2028: the final GEP Primary 6 class completes the programme.

Children already in a GEP class stay put and finish at their current school. Parents of these pupils do not need to make any new decisions. For background on how the programme ran over the years, Tutor City's overview of the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) covers its original structure.

Will Students Still Transfer Schools in Primary 4?

No transfer is required. Under the old model, GEP pupils moved to one of nine schools, including Henry Park, Nanyang, Raffles Girls' Primary, Rosyth and Tao Nan. From 2027, a child keeps the same home school, classmates, CCA and teachers from Primary 1 through Primary 6.

That stability carries real weight for many families. MOE noted in its 2024 explanation that a child very strong in mathematics but weaker in English, if selected for the GEP, might have had to transfer and then struggle with the GEP English curriculum, a scenario the new design avoids.

The trade-off is weekly travel for children who attend centre-based modules. Families whose child already attends a school near a centre will feel this least.

What Support Will Every Primary School Offer?

Every primary school already runs programmes for high-ability learners, and these are expanding. MOE calls them school-based provisions. They include in-curriculum extensions during lessons and after-school programmes such as Excellence 2000 (E2K) Mathematics and Science.

From 2027, about 10% of the cohort will benefit, up from around 7% today, which works out to roughly 3,000 pupils a year. Almost all primary schools have at least five teachers trained for these classes.

How these provisions look day to day varies by school. Parents should ask their child's school directly about which subjects are offered and when sessions run, since each school organises its own timetable around academic strengths and talents.

What Happens in Centre-Based Advanced Modules?

Centre-based advanced modules are the more selective tier, aimed at pupils who need further stretch beyond their school's provisions. They are expected to reach at least 2% of the cohort, compared with about 1% under the GEP.

Subject modules in English, mathematics and science run as a two-hour weekly session during term. Interdisciplinary modules take place during school holidays, which families should factor into travel plans; Tutor City has written about how Singapore's school holiday calendar has shifted in past years.

Teachers who took part in the 2025 trial described hands-on, inquiry-led lessons. One science class investigated food spoilage through traditional preservation methods, looking at temperature, moisture and microbes. Mr Lee gave the example of a playground-design module combining social studies, science and mathematics.

The modules are delinked from the national curriculum and are designed without examinations in mind. Attendance is optional, modules are non-sequential, and a child can combine, say, school-based English with centre-based mathematics.

How Are Children Identified, and Where Will They Attend?

Identification begins with a single test in Primary 3, but schools also draw on teacher observations and classwork, and further nominations happen each semester in Primary 4 and Primary 5. Children attend modules at the centre nearest their own school, with locations spread across the island.

How Does the New Primary 3 Identification Exercise Work?

Primary 3 students in 2026 sit a standardised one-stage identification exercise in August. It replaces the two-stage GEP screening, which included a second round of English and mathematics papers plus a general ability test.

The new exercise focuses on English and mathematics aptitude in place of curriculum content. MOE has said it is looking for attributes like creativity, interest and talent in these domains, and the test is one input among several.

That design gives parents room to ease off. MOE said in 2024 it had seen rising stress and growing private preparation around the old GEP selection, and the one-stage approach aims to lower those stakes. Parents weighing outside help can read Tutor City's piece on whether to enrol a child in the GEP for a balanced look at motivation and fit.

Can Children Join Later in Primary 4 or Primary 5?

Yes. Multiple entry points mean the August test is a starting point. Beyond the entry at the start of Primary 4, schools can nominate pupils at the end of each semester in Primary 4 and Primary 5.

A usable timeline for the 2026 Primary 3 cohort:

1. August 2026: one-stage identification exercise.
2. Start of 2027 (Primary 4): first placements in school-based provisions and centre modules.
3. End of each Primary 4 semester (2027): further nominations, plus chances to try a different subject.
4. End of each Primary 5 semester (2028): final nomination windows.

A child who blossoms in mathematics during Primary 5 can still be picked up. Schools will share more details with parents later in 2026.

Which 15 Schools Are Designated Centres?

MOE chose the centres for geographic spread and public transport access. The 15 schools are:

• Ahmad Ibrahim Primary School (Yishun)
• Clementi Primary School
• Geylang Methodist School (Primary)
• Innova Primary School (Woodlands)
• Jurong West Primary School
• Kheng Cheng School
• Palm View Primary School
• Pioneer Primary School
• Punggol View Primary School (Punggol)
• Queenstown Primary School
• St Gabriel's Primary School
• Tampines Primary School
• Teck Ghee Primary School
• Yew Tee Primary School
• Yu Neng Primary School (Bedok)

MOE will review the list at appropriate junctures, for example as student demographics shift. Families in growing towns such as Tengah should keep an eye on future updates.

What Should Parents Know About Travel and P1 Registration?

Children are assigned to a centre near their own school, and sessions run after school once a week. MOE said in 2024 it was studying transport options, so parents should wait for school guidance before arranging their own logistics.

Some parents are already eyeing the 15 centre schools for Primary 1. Any demand figures from the 2025 P1 registration exercise are historical data only, recorded before the centres were announced. Enrolling at a centre school does not guarantee a place in advanced modules, because selection depends on the identification process, and centre teachers come from MOE headquarters, separate from the host school.

Choosing a primary school on fit, distance and environment remains the sensible approach. Tutor City's guides on preparing a child for Primary One and on co-ed versus same-gender schools cover those factors.

What Parents Should Remember

The GEP takes no new Primary 4 pupils from 2027, and current GEP pupils finish by 2028. Every school will stretch about 10% of its pupils, while at least 2% can attend weekly modules at 15 centres without changing schools.

For a child in Primary 3 now, August 2026 is the first identification point, with further chances each semester through Primary 5. The most practical next step is to ask the child's school which subjects its provisions cover and how it will share nomination results.