All S’pore Schools to Switch to Full Home-Based Learning from 19 May Till the School Holidays

It was less than 24 hours ago that we got to know that seven primary schools would be moving to home-based learning (HBL) as there have been COVID-19 cases in those schools.

But with today’s shocking report of 38 COVID-19 community cases, in which 18 are unlinked, the authorities are taking it up a notch.

All S’pore Schools to Switch to Full Home-Based Learning from 19 May Till the School Holidays

This evening, the Ministry of Education said that starting from Wednesday (19 May 2021), all primary, secondary, junior college (JC) and Millennia Institute (MI) students, including students from Special Education (SPED) schools, will shift to full Home-Based Learning (HBL) till end of the term on 28 May 2021.

Preschools and student care centres will remain open to support parents who need to work. As work-from-home will be the default mode at workplaces, parents are encouraged to keep their children at home during this period where possible.

The mid-year GCE O- and A-Level Mother Tongue Language examinations will proceed as planned and with strict Safe Management Measures (SMMs) in place.

During the full HBL phase, schools will continue to provide instructions and support for students to access a range of both online and hardcopy HBL materials, so that learning continues uninterrupted. Schools will also assist students who may require digital devices or internet access.

Schools will remain open for students who require additional support. In particular, parents working in essential services or are unable to secure alternative care arrangements, may approach their children’s primary schools for assistance.

So, why not just bring forward the school holidays, like what happened last year?

Newly minted Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said, “We don’t know what will happen in Term 3. If we load everything onto Term 3, it can be very stressful on students, parents and schools. So taking into account the feedback, we thought it is meaningful to move to HBL for the remaining seven days.”

Also, during the June holidays, schools will allow graduating cohorts to come back in small groups where necessary.

As for Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) like universities, they will reduce attendance on campus, by converting more classes to online learning where possible, with the exception of essential in-person sessions such as labs, practicals and final year projects. These will continue to be conducted in person with the necessary SMMs in place. These measures will hold until end of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) or further notice.

All Tuition and Enrichment Centres to Shift Online or Suspend Activities

All centre-based tuition and enrichment classes should move activities online till the end of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert). This is necessary to reduce the intermingling of students from different schools and enhance the safety of the students.

These measures will hold until end of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) or further notice.

By the way, things are moving so fast that it was just a few days ago that MOE changed the rules on face shields in schools. To know why masks are so important in the fight against COVID-19, watch this video to the end:

Image: YouTube