School activities to gradually resume to support development, well-being of students: MOE

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Monday (Nov 8) that it would gradually resume more school activities, including Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), in schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs).

The move is to enrich the learning experiences and better support the long-term holistic development and well-being of students, said the ministry.

It cited high vaccination rates in the student population above the age of 12 as a "good position" to resume more elements of school life, with appropriate safeguards.

From Nov 10, secondary schools and secondary/senior sections of Special Education (SPED) schools, Junior Colleges (JCs)/Millennia Institute (MI) and IHLs will be allowed to conduct masked activities in sub-groups of up to 5 people, subject to existing COVID-19 safe management measures.

The educational institutes will also pilot the resumption of team sports formats to allow a group of up to 10 fully vaccinated persons to play together, with participants required to produce a valid negative antigen rapid test (ART) result on-site prior to each game.   

This is similar to the community team sports formats pilot run by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), said MOE. The ministry added that it would review the outcome of these pilots in November and December to prepare for scaling up of these sports activities for 2022.

"MOE will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and make adjustments where necessary to keep our school environment safe while gradually resuming more school and student activities as we learn to live with endemic COVID-19," said the ministry. 

"We urge all students and staff to continue practising good personal hygiene, adhere to SMMs, and exercise social responsibility."

Earlier this year on Jul 22, MOE had suspended all in-person CCAs in line with the COVID-19 task force's announcement to tighten restrictions, part of Singapore's return to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) from Jul 22 to Aug 18.

PLANS FOR 2022

From January next year, MOE said it will continue to resume more elements of school life for secondary schools and JCs/MI, including activities which have been suspended or disrupted previously.

This includes the flag-raising ceremony, assemblies, learning journeys, CCAs, National School Games and the Singapore Youth Festival.

IHLs will also look to bring back more aspects of campus life such as more in-person lessons and student activities, and larger scale IHL sports events, such as POL-ITE games and Inter-Faculty Games.

"Further details will be shared subsequently," said MOE.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR K1 AND P1 STUDENTS

On Jan 4, 2022, only Kindergarten 1 (K1) children in MOE kindergartens and Primary 1 (P1) students, including from the primary/junior sections of SPED schools, will report for the first day of school.

One parent or guardian will be allowed to accompany the student to help them better adjust to the new environment and routines.

K2 children and P2 to P6 students will only return to school on Jan 5, 2022.

"This will better facilitate the safe return of students at the start of the school year and ensure that SMMs can be implemented effectively," said MOE.