Malay Tuition Singapore
Bahasa Melayu from Primary 1 to JC, taught to the MOE syllabus and the SEAB papers
1-to-1 Malay tuition at home or online, P1 to H1. Karangan, imbuhan, peribahasa and lisan, taught to the PSLE, SEC and A-Level Malay papers.
Syllabus and exam facts on this page are from official MOE, SEAB, IBO or Cambridge documents, checked . How we write our pages
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No contract and no minimum number of lessons. The first lesson is a paid trial at the tutor's rate. Cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours ahead, or that lesson is charged.
- Typical rate
- S$25 to S$130/hr
- Your shortlist
- 2 to 4 tutors in 16h
- Wrong fit?
- Free re-match
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Malay Tuition rates in Singapore
Hourly rates by level. Each bar runs from a part-time tutor to an ex-MOE teacher.
Rates by type of tutor, as a table
| Level | Part-time / undergrad | Full-time | Ex-MOE or NIE-trained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Primary (P1-P4) | S$25-35/hr | S$35-45/hr | S$50-70/hr |
| Upper Primary / PSLE (P5-P6) | S$30-40/hr | S$40-55/hr | S$60-80/hr |
| Lower Secondary (Sec 1-2) | S$30-45/hr | S$45-60/hr | S$60-85/hr |
| Upper Secondary / O-Level (Sec 3-4) | S$35-45/hr | S$45-65/hr | S$65-95/hr |
| Junior College / A-Level (JC1-JC2) | S$45-60/hr | S$65-90/hr | S$90-130/hr |
| IB Diploma (DP1-DP2) / IGCSE | S$45-60/hr | S$65-90/hr | S$90-130/hr |
The final rate is set when you choose a tutor. See all tuition rates for 2027.
Where Malay marks slip away
The papers change from PSLE to SEC to H1, but most lost marks trace back to the same handful of skills.
Imbuhan slips, such as writing mensapu instead of menyapu, or keeping the p in pukul instead of writing memukul. PSLE Paper 2 gives 20 marks to choosing affixed words.
Peribahasa learned as a list of meanings, so your child cannot pick the right one when the question only describes a situation.
A karangan that retells the picture series but adds no feeling or description. PSLE asks for at least 150 words, Higher Malay for at least 180.
One-line replies in the perbualan, when the examiner is looking for an opinion, a reason and an example from your child's own life.
1 more
In secondary school, an email written in casual Malay, or a forum post written like a formal letter. SEC Paper 1 sets both kinds of functional writing.
Each of these improves with regular marked practice, and a tutor can usually tell within a few lessons which one matters most for your child.
What a Malay tutor covers, stage by stage
Lessons follow the school scheme of work. The areas below show how the work builds from lower primary to JC, using the skills each SEAB paper tests.
Lower primary (P1 to P4)
Reading, spelling and speaking confidence before the PSLE years. MOE removed weighted assessments and exams in P1 and P2 from 2019.
Topics covered
- Reading aloud with clear sebutan baku
- Everyday vocabulary built up by theme
- Simple sentences, then short paragraphs
- Common prefixes such as ber- and meN-
- The peribahasa SEAB lists for Darjah 3 and 4
- Short stories written from pictures
PSLE Malay (P5 and P6)
Practice built on the three papers of PSLE Malay 0006, or on the Higher (0016) and Foundation (0026) papers.
Topics covered
- Karangan from a topic or a picture series, 150 words or more
- Imbuhan, peribahasa and golongan kata multiple-choice questions
- Frasa: filling the gaps in a dialogue
- Kefahaman with open-ended answers on a narrative text
- Bacaan lantang (reading aloud) from a computer screen
- Perbualan after a 55 to 60 second video
- The peribahasa SEAB lists for Darjah 5 and 6
Secondary school and the SEC
G3 Malay K321 and Higher Malay K356 from 2027, with the G2 and G1 papers for students at those levels.
Topics covered
- Functional writing: an email or forum post of 120 words or more
- Karangan of 240 words or more, or 380 for Higher Malay
- Word classes and replacing misused words in a text
- True or false and multiple-choice comprehension on authentic texts
- A summary (peringkasan) of up to 60 words for Higher Malay
- Oral conversation and listening comprehension
JC: H1 Malay
A 3-hour Paper 1 worth 70% and an oral paper with a presentation and a discussion.
Topics covered
- Karangan of 380 words or more, including a picture-stimulus question
- Choosing peribahasa from a described situation
- Editing a text for affix and usage errors
- Comprehension with a summary of 50 words or fewer
- An oral presentation of up to two minutes from a video stimulus
- Discussion with the examiner on that presentation
Malay exams from PSLE to A-Level, with their SEAB codes
Each school exam has its own code and paper format. The codes below are the ones SEAB uses for 2026 and 2027. Ask your child's school which level your child is registered for, then match lessons to that paper.
| Exam | Code | Papers and weighting |
|---|---|---|
| PSLE Malay (Standard) | 0006 | Paper 1 karangan, 50 minutes, 20%. Paper 2 Penggunaan Bahasa dan Kefahaman, 1 hour 40 minutes, 45%. Paper 3 lisan 25% and listening 10%. |
| PSLE Higher Malay | 0016 | Paper 1 karangan, 50 minutes, 40%. Paper 2 Penggunaan Bahasa dan Kefahaman, 1 hour 20 minutes, 60%. No oral. |
| PSLE Foundation Malay | 0026 | Paper 1 language use and reading, 40 minutes, 15%. Paper 2 oral, 55%. Paper 3 listening, 30%. No karangan. |
| SEC G3 Malay (2027) | K321, was O-Level 1148 | Paper 1 functional writing and karangan, 2 hours, 30%. Paper 2 Penggunaan Bahasa dan Kefahaman, 1 hour 30 minutes, 35%. Paper 3 lisan and listening, 35%. |
| SEC G3 Higher Malay (2027) | K356, was O-Level 1117 | Paper 1 functional writing and karangan, 2 hours, 40%. Paper 2 language use, comprehension and summary, 1 hour 45 minutes, 40%. Paper 3 oral presentation and discussion, 20%. |
| SEC G2 Malay (2027) | K221, was 1197 | Set out in the SEAB K221 syllabus. |
| SEC G1 Malay (2027) | K121, was 1203 | Set out in the SEAB K121 syllabus. |
| A-Level H1 Malay | 8656 | Paper 1 karangan and language use, comprehension and summary, 3 hours, 70%. Paper 2 oral and listening, 30%. |
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Inside the PSLE Malay paper (0006)
The Standard paper totals 200 marks. Paper 2 is split into four parts across two booklets, and the oral takes about 15 minutes after 10 minutes of preparation.
| Part | What your child does | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 Karangan | Writes one composition from a topic or a picture series, at least 150 words. An approved dictionary is allowed. | 40 (20%) |
| Paper 2 Part A | Multiple choice on imbuhan (20 marks), peribahasa (10) and golongan kata (10). | 40 (20%) |
| Paper 2 Part B | Five multiple-choice questions on an expository text. | 10 (5%) |
| Paper 2 Part C | Fills four gaps in a dialogue with the right frasa. | 8 (4%) |
| Paper 2 Part D | Eleven multiple-choice and open-ended questions on two texts, one of them a narrative. | 32 (16%) |
| Oral: bacaan lantang | Reads a passage aloud from a computer screen. | 20 (10%) |
| Oral: perbualan | Watches a 55 to 60 second video, then talks with the examiner. | 30 (15%) |
| Listening | Ten multiple-choice questions on seven short authentic texts, about 30 minutes. | 20 (10%) |
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SEAB, PSLE Malay Language (0006) format. Open the SEAB PDF.
SEAB, PSLE Higher Malay (0016) and Foundation Malay (0026) formats. See the PSLE formats page.
SEAB, 2027 SEC G3 codes, with the O-Level codes they replace. See the G3 list.
SEAB, SEC G3 Malay (K321) syllabus. Open K321.
SEAB, SEC G3 Higher Malay (K356) syllabus. Open K356.
SEAB, G2 and G1 codes for 2027. See the G2 list.
SEAB, H1 Malay (8656) syllabus. Open 8656.
MOE, Higher Mother Tongue eligibility for secondary school. Read the MOE page.
Before you book a Malay tutor
What Malay families usually ask first, whatever the level.
| Question | For Malay Language |
|---|---|
| Which tutor suits my child? | Pick a tutor who has taught your child's exact level, because Higher, Standard and Foundation Malay are different papers. For the oral, look for a tutor who is comfortable holding a whole lesson in Malay. Each profile lists the tutor's qualifications, experience and the levels taught. |
| What does it cost? | Per hour, P1 to P4 is S$25 to S$35 with an undergraduate tutor, S$35 to S$45 full-time and S$50 to S$70 ex-MOE. P5 and P6 are S$30 to S$40, S$40 to S$55 and S$60 to S$80. Sec 1 and 2 are S$30 to S$45, S$45 to S$60 and S$60 to S$85, and Sec 3 and 4 are S$35 to S$45, S$45 to S$65 and S$65 to S$95. JC is S$65 to S$90 full-time. Four 1.5-hour P5 or P6 lessons with a full-time tutor come to S$240 to S$330. |
| How does it start? | Tell us the level, whether your child takes Standard, Higher or Foundation Malay, and the part that worries you most, such as karangan or the oral. We send 2 to 4 tutor profiles within 16 hours. The first lesson is a paid trial at the tutor's hourly rate. |
| What are the terms? | No contract and no minimum, so you can book more lessons before the oral and fewer after it. Cancel or move a lesson at least 24 hours ahead, or it is charged. If the fit is wrong, we re-match you free. |
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Malay Tuition: a guide for parents
Malay Language is a Mother Tongue subject from Primary 1, and it is examined three times: at the PSLE, at the end of secondary school and, for JC students, as H1 Malay. Each exam asks for the same core skills in a harder form. Your child writes a karangan, picks the correctly affixed word, uses peribahasa in context, answers comprehension questions and holds a conversation with an examiner after watching a short video. In PSLE Malay (0006), oral and listening together carry 35% of the marks, so spoken practice matters as much as written work. Children who speak mostly English at home often find the oral and the vocabulary harder than the grammar itself.
Read the full guide
Our tutors teach to the MOE Malay syllabus at the level your child actually takes: Standard, Higher or Foundation Malay in P5 and P6, then G1, G2, G3 or Higher Malay in secondary school. Lessons follow the school's own scheme of work and the SEAB paper format, so practice looks like the test. A usual week mixes one written task, such as a karangan or a secondary school email, with short imbuhan and peribahasa drills and some spoken Malay. Lessons are one to one, at home or online.
We send 2 to 4 tutor profiles on WhatsApp within 16 hours, each with the tutor's qualifications, experience and hourly rate, and you choose. Outcomes vary with each child and the time put in.
A typical PSLE imbuhan question gives a sentence such as "Adik ___ lantai dapur setiap pagi" with four choices: sapu, menyapu, mensapu and disapu. Many children choose mensapu, because they add men- to the root without changing it. The rule a tutor teaches is that meN- takes the shape of the first letter of the root. Before s it becomes meny- and the s drops, so sapu becomes menyapu. Before p it becomes mem- and the p drops, so pukul becomes memukul.
Before t it becomes men- and the t drops, as in tulis and menulis. The tutor builds a short table of these patterns with your child, then runs ten-question sets like Part A of Paper 2, where ten imbuhan questions are worth 20 marks. Every wrong answer goes back into the next set until the pattern sticks.
Official syllabus: MOE Singapore · SEAB Singapore
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Malay Tuition: frequently asked questions
How do Standard, Higher and Foundation Malay differ at PSLE?
Standard Malay (0006) has three papers: karangan 20%, language use and comprehension 45%, and oral and listening 35%. Higher Malay (0016) has no oral. It is a karangan worth 40% and a language and comprehension paper worth 60%. Foundation Malay (0026) has no karangan: a short written paper is 15%, the oral 55% and listening 30%. The school recommends subject levels at the end of P4.
Can my child take Higher Malay in secondary school?
MOE's criteria are AL1 or AL2 in PSLE Malay, or a Distinction or Merit in PSLE Higher Malay. Schools can also allow a student who misses these criteria if the school judges the student has exceptional ability in the language and can take it without hurting other subjects. A tutor can help your child aim for the grade that opens the option.
What changes when O-Level Malay becomes SEC Malay in 2027?
In 2027 the O-Level and N-Level exams are combined into the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate. G3 Malay (K321) takes over from O-Level Malay 1148. SEAB says the standard stays the same as the O-Level. One change is timing: the written Mother Tongue papers are held in September in one sitting, where O-Level Mother Tongue had a mid-year sitting as well.
What does H1 Malay involve in JC?
H1 Malay (8656) has a 3-hour Paper 1 worth 70%, split into a karangan of at least 380 words and a section on peribahasa, editing, comprehension and summary. Paper 2 is worth 30%: an oral presentation of up to two minutes, a discussion with the examiner and a listening test. Students who want more depth can take H2 Malay Language and Literature (9576).
How much does Malay tuition cost?
Rates follow the level. Lower primary is S$35 to S$45 an hour with a full-time tutor, P5 and P6 S$40 to S$55, and Sec 3 and 4 S$45 to S$65. Undergraduate tutors cost less and ex-MOE teachers more. Each tutor profile states the hourly rate before you choose.
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