FAQs - JC Economics

Singapore is often described as a “Tuition Nation.” Even Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has remarked that tuition has become a “minor national obsession.” This reflects the intense academic competition within our education system, where many parents believe tuition is essential for securing distinctions and staying ahead.

However, Economics tuition is not a necessity for every student.

According to Dr. Anthony Fok, tuition should not replace school learning nor be viewed as an obligatory pathway to academic success. Instead, effective tuition serves as a targeted supplement to formal education. Its true purpose is to bridge learning gaps, strengthen conceptual understanding, and equip students with the skills needed to apply economic theory accurately in examinations.

At the A-Level level, Economics is not a subject that can be mastered through memorisation alone. Students are required to analyse real-world data, evaluate policies, and construct well-reasoned arguments under time pressure. For some students, classroom teaching may not provide sufficient time or individualised attention to fully develop these higher-order skills. In such cases, Economics tuition can be highly beneficial.

Well-structured Economics tuition helps students:

• Clarify complex economic concepts and theories

• Learn systematic approaches to data response and essay questions

• Avoid common exam pitfalls and misconceptions

• Improve evaluation, analysis, and answer structure

That said, tuition should never be a crutch. When delivered effectively, it empowers students to become independent thinkers, confident learners, and disciplined exam candidates—rather than fostering reliance.

In conclusion, Economics tuition is not compulsory, but it can be a valuable support for students who require additional guidance, structure, or exam-focused training. Under the guidance of Dr. Anthony Fok, Economics tuition is designed to complement school learning, develop critical thinking skills, and help students reach their full potential—without creating unnecessary dependence.

All H1 and H2 Economics students are placed in the same class because the core Economics syllabus is largely similar at both levels, especially for foundational microeconomics and macroeconomics concepts such as demand and supply, elasticity, market failure, inflation, unemployment, economic growth, and government policies. The key content differences between H1 and H2 Economics are relatively limited and mainly involve more advanced topics such as Market Structure, Income Elasticity of Demand (YED), and Cross Elasticity of Demand (XED), which are typically introduced in JC1 for most junior colleges.

The primary distinction between H1 and H2 Economics lies in the examination format and assessment demands, rather than a completely different syllabus. At the A-Level examinations, H1 Economics students sit for two Case Study questions, focusing on data analysis, application of economic concepts, and structured responses. In contrast, H2 Economics students are required to attempt two Case Study questions and three out of six essay questions, which demand deeper economic analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of theory across both microeconomic and macroeconomic topics. As such, H2 Economics places greater emphasis on essay-writing skills, evaluative judgement, and the ability to construct coherent, well-supported economic arguments.

To address these additional H2 requirements, H2 students will attend extra, payable classes during the June holidays, as well as in August and September, where the extended syllabus content and advanced essay techniques are covered in greater depth. H1 students are neither required to attend nor pay for these additional sessions, as their examination requirements do not include the extra H2 topics or essay components. This structured approach ensures that both H1 and H2 students receive targeted, exam-focused preparation, while benefiting from a strong shared foundation in Economics.

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The ten-year-series (TYS) is an annual publication, which compiles all of the past 10 years’ GCE ‘O’ and ‘A’ level examination questions. The TYS has been used in schools for more than four decades. Students claim that the TYS shows a pattern in the types of questions asked over the years. Nonetheless, the questions now tend not to repeat in the future examinations, unlike in the past. Although the TYS is still relevant since knowing how well you do in an actual past-year paper gives you an indication of how prepared you are, students should also equip themselves with more than the TYS such as other guide books which covers the syllabus adequately as well.

Following from this, Mr Anthony Fok has written a series of Economics guide books which covers areas such as evaluation points, diagrams, summary notes book and model essays which will facilitate the students in their revision.