From 2024, all Singapore secondary schools moved to full subject-based banding (Full SBB). The familiar streams — Express, N(A), N(T) — were replaced by subject levels: G3, G2, and G1. A student no longer belongs to one stream across all subjects; they take each subject at the level they're strongest in.
For Math specifically, this changes how you should think about tuition. Here's what parents need to know.
The subject levels, translated
- G3 — the most demanding subject level. It follows the assessment standard previously used for O-Level.
- G2 — the middle subject level. It follows the assessment standard previously used for N(A)-Level.
- G1 — the foundation subject level. It follows the assessment standard previously used for N(T)-Level.
From 2027 these are no longer separate qualifications. The O-Level and N-Level certificates are replaced by a single Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC), which lists each subject alongside the level it was taken at. A student may therefore sit some SEC subjects at G3 and others at G2. What the SEC changes →
A student might take Math at G3 but Science at G2, or vice versa. Schools assess and place students subject by subject from Sec 1.
What changed in Math content
The Math content itself didn't get a wholesale rewrite. Topics are largely unchanged. What changed is:
- Movement is now possible without changing schools. A G2 student doing well can move up to G3 for that specific subject. A G3 student struggling can move down. This wasn't easy under the old stream system.
- G2 keeps a wider exit path open. A student who does well at G2 Math can go on to take Math at G3, typically through Sec 5. The G2 syllabus is designed with that next step in mind.
- Teacher attention to subject level is sharper. Because students can move bands, schools watch performance closely — and parents should too.
What this means for choosing tuition
If your child is in G3 Math
The pace is fast. Algebra in Sec 1 sets the foundation for everything that follows. A weak Sec 1 algebra base creates compounding problems in Sec 2 trigonometry, Sec 3 functions, and Sec 4 calculus.
What to look for in tuition:
- Teachers who drill algebraic technique until automatic
- Material aligned to the current G3 syllabus (refreshed yearly)
- Reasonable bridging support if your child wants to push toward A Math
See our Sec 1 Math and Sec 2 Math classes — both teach G3 and G2 students together, with the teaching pitched to each student's current subject level.
If your child is in G2 Math
The most common worry we hear: "Will my child be behind?" The answer depends on the centre. What to look for is teaching differentiated to your child's current subject level — because:
- the assessed G2 syllabus has to be mastered on its own terms first — that is the paper your child actually sits
- a student ready for more should be stretched with selected G3-level work, not held to the G2 ceiling
- subject levels move at Sec 1–2, so a G2 student who promotes up should not be starting from scratch
That is how our Lower Secondary classes run — G3 and G2 together, taught to each student's level, with G3-level extension where a student is ready for it. From Sec 3 the papers diverge, and our G2 E Math class is calibrated to the G2 paper directly.
If your child is at the G2 → G3 border
This is where tuition matters most. A borderline child can often build the ground for a move with focused intervention in Sec 1 or early Sec 2. By Sec 3, the gap is harder to close. Whether a student moves to a more demanding subject level is ultimately the school's decision, based on the student's overall performance and readiness — tuition can build the readiness, it cannot award the level. If your child is hovering at the band boundary, ask the centre how they'd specifically build up the borderline topics — not just "we'll drill more."
G2 vs G3 Math under the SEC — what about Sec 4 onward?
For Sec 3 and Sec 4 students, the subject level decides which paper they sit:
- G3 students sit Math at G3 — E Math, optionally A Math. Our G3 E Math and G3 A Math classes cover both.
- G2 students sit G2 E Math. Our G2 E Math class is built specifically for that paper.
G2 E Math is rigorous in its own right — it isn't a "lite" version. Students who do well at G2 often go on to take Math at G3 in Sec 5, or move to polytechnic pathways.
Common questions we get
Should my G2 child be in a G3 class?
At Sec 1 and Sec 2, a mixed class works well — provided the teaching is differentiated to each student's current subject level, so a G2 student masters their own assessed syllabus first and is stretched with selected G3-level work when they are ready for it. At Sec 3 and Sec 4 the papers diverge enough that a G2 student is better served by a class calibrated to the G2 paper than by a G3 class with the difficulty turned down.
My child is G3 but struggling. Should I switch to G2?
Usually not as the first move. First step: identify whether the gap is foundational (algebra) or recent topical. A few targeted tuition sessions to plug the specific gap often solves it without changing band.
How early does tuition matter?
Sec 1 is when algebra habits set. Most parents under-rate Sec 1 because the topics look easy on the surface. The students who breeze through Sec 3–4 Math are usually the ones who drilled Sec 1 algebra until automatic. A few months at Sec 1 saves months of pain at Sec 4.
Final thoughts
The G1/G2/G3 reform gives parents more flexibility — but also more decisions. The most useful thing you can do is choose a tuition centre that teaches your child's assessed subject level properly, stretches them past it when they are ready, supports movement between levels, and aligns to the current syllabus year. The band your child is in today isn't the band they're locked into for life.
If you'd like to see how we structure G3 + G2 Math at Lower Sec, book a free trial. We'll send personalised feedback after, then you decide.
Learn more about us — and all the best.
Where this comes from. Full Subject-Based Banding and the G1/G2/G3 subject levels are MOE policy — see MOE's Full Subject-Based Banding FAQ. How Genie teaches G2 and G3 classes is our own decision, described as such. Last checked 16 Aug 2026.