Five students from the primary six cohort across Singapore were late for the 2024 Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) due to train disruptions on the East-West Line (EWL). This incident affected a small fraction of the 41,000 candidates who took the PSLE English and Foundation English written examinations on 26 September. According to the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB), the students arrived before the end of the paper and were given time to settle down and complete the full duration of the exam. One of the five candidates had to sit for the examination at a different centre.
Background
SEAB announced on 25 September that students taking the PSLE written examinations from 26 September to 2 October would not be penalised for being late due to train service disruptions. A SEAB spokesperson confirmed that affected students would be allowed the full duration of the paper if they arrived before the end of the exam. The spokesperson also mentioned that there are existing arrangements for such situations and that students had been briefed accordingly. Candidates were advised to contact their schools if affected by the train disruption, and SEAB would coordinate with the schools to support them.
Second day of train disruption
On 25 September, around 9 am, a Kawasaki Heavy Industries train, which had been in service for over 35 years, developed a fault while travelling near Clementi station towards the east on the EWL. A power trip occurred at 9:25 am as the train was being withdrawn, causing trains between Queenstown and Boon Lay stations to stall. Consequently, 850 passengers had to be detrained and were led back to Clementi station via the train tracks.
A Land Transport Authority (LTA) spokesperson stated, “Our preliminary assessment is that when the damaged train was being withdrawn, it caused damage to the tracks, including the running rails and the third rail supplying power to the train.” Later that evening, at 9:27 pm, it was announced that there would be no train service between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations. Free regular and bridging bus services were made available between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations, and shuttle trains operated between Boon Lay and Jurong East, and Buona Vista and Queenstown. As of 3:59 pm on 26 September, train services between Jurong East and Buona Vista had not resumed.
Related stories
The train disruption on the EWL is not an isolated incident. On 17 and 18 September, the Circle Line experienced disruptions due to a power trip and a system fire, respectively. These incidents highlight ongoing issues with Singapore’s train infrastructure, prompting authorities to consider contingency plans for critical periods such as national examinations. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has been preparing for such scenarios to ensure minimal disruption to students’ academic schedules.
