Infrastructure projects for 8 schools delayed by up to 2 years due to COVID-19

SINGAPORE: Eight schools will experience delays, some up to two years, to infrastructure works because of the pandemic's impact on the construction sector, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Monday (Jul 26).

In a press release, MOE said the COVID-19 situation has posed “severe manpower constraints” in the construction sector and disrupted the supply of materials.

The progress of projects involving two primary schools, two secondary schools and four junior colleges has been affected as a result.

Here are the details of the delay affecting each school:

RELOCATION OF ANGSANA PRIMARY

Angsana Primary School’s relocation from 3 Tampines Street 22 to its new campus in Tampines North, slated for January 2022, will be delayed by up to six months – during the June holidays.

The new MOE Kindergarten (MK) at Angsana will still be able to open on time at the new campus at 51 Tampines Street 61 in January.

“MOE will work with MK@Angsana to ensure the safety of all MK students and staff while final works go on for the rest of the campus,” said the ministry.

“This includes providing a designated and safe walking route to the MK, cordoning off of other parts of the campus from the MK and its activities, as well as other mitigation measures to minimise disruptions to the MK students, such as protection against dust and noise.”

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UPGRADING FOR MAYFLOWER PRIMARY

Mayflower Primary School and MK@Mayflower will postpone their shift back to their permanent site also by up to six months, during the holidays in June 2022.

Teaching is currently being held at the former Kebun Baru Primary School site as its permanent site undergoes Primary Education Review and Implementation (PERI) upgrading works. The school and MK were scheduled to relocate to the permanent site in January.

Under PERI, the upgraded campus will feature more spaces for “engaged learning” in both academic and non-academic areas such as classrooms, outdoor learning facilities and “specialised rooms that facilitate greater interaction, self-discovery and experiential learning”, said MOE.

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UPGRADING FOR WOODLANDS RING SECONDARY, MERGER WITH FUCHUN SECONDARY

Woodlands Ring Secondary School will shift to a holding site to give way for campus upgrading in January 2023, a year later than scheduled. After works under the Programme for Rebuilding and Improving Existing Schools (PRIME) are completed, the school will return to the permanent site in January 2025.

The merger with Fuchun Secondary School, initially planned for January 2024 when the upgraded campus is ready, will now happen in January 2025. This is done “to minimise disruption to students and staff of the merged school”, said MOE.

UPGRADING FOR HAI SING CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Hai Sing Catholic School’s PRIME upgrading works have also been delayed by a year. It’s now slated for January 2023 to December 2024, during which school will be held at the former Greenview Secondary School site.

The school will return to its upgraded campus when it is ready in January 2025.

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JC REJUVENATION PROGRAMME

Rejuvenation Programme works for four JCs - scheduled to start in 2023 and completed tentatively by the end of 2025 - will be delayed by one to two years.

Anderson Serangoon JC, Jurong Pioneer JC and Temasek JC will have their renovated permanent sites ready from January 2028.

To make way for upgrading, Anderson Serangoon JC and Temasek JC will relocate to their holding sites at the former Serangoon JC and the former Tampines JC respectively in January 2024. Jurong Pioneer JC is currently operating at the former Pioneer JC site.

Works at the former Innova JC site will be delayed by one year, with Yishun Innova JC relocating to the upgraded site in January 2027.

“MOE will work closely with all affected schools to ensure that students continue to have a conducive learning environment,” said the ministry.

“We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation to assess the impact on ongoing construction works, and provide further updates where necessary.”