Certain Students To Go Back To School From 19 May, Will Have Lessons In Small Groups
Parents who have been fretting over home-based learning for their children – especially trying to make sure they are doing it properly while simultaneously working from home themselves – may have a reprieve soon.
If your children are graduating soon, and are taking national examinations this year, they can now go back to school from 19 May, as part of a gradual easing of the ‘Circuit Breaker’ measures.
But they will only be allowed to do so in small groups, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
MOH recognises anxiety of parents
In a press release on Saturday (2 May), the MOH said that it recognises the “anxiety” among parents of graduating students who have to take exams this year.
That’s why those students will be able to return to school for small groups of face-to-face consultations and lessons with teachers, the ministry said.
That includes students who are in Primary 6, Secondary 4 & 5, Junior College year 2 and pre-university year 3.
Students who need school facilities for their schoolwork, especially practical work, will be given priority.
Those who need “additional support and remediation” will also be one of the first to return.
Two weeks for teachers to rest and recharge
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, in a Facebook post on Saturday (2 May), provided some context, saying that the return starts on 19 May only to allow teachers to have some “protected time” to rest and recharge.
From 19 May, the students will return only on selected days, and in small groups.
They will also be scattered as far as possible from one another across the school.
Masks will have to be worn by all students.
ITE among higher-learning institutes to bring back students
Institutes of Higher Learning will also allow students to return to campus in small groups, MOH said.
But they will be limited to critical consultations, projects or practicums.
The institutes, including the Institute of Technical Education, will not let students all return at once, but stagger the timing of their entries across the day.
They will also stick to certain groups among their cohort, as part of safe-distancing measures.
Behave ourselves when we return to school
This is the long-awaited return to normal that we have all been craving for, so Singaporeans should still behave themselves.
Keep to safe-distancing measures always, even when we return to school, and we will be able to avoid a resurgence of Covid-19.
Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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