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SINGAPORE: More programs in schools will resume from mid-October, as Singapore improves its capabilities to detect and track COVID-19 cases, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on Wednesday (October 7).
Resumeable programs include offsite co-curricular activities (CCA) such as bowling and swimming, activities hosted by uniformed group headquarters, CCA collaborations between schools and the Singapore National Youth Orchestra.
However, CCA and activities such as singing and those involving a high level of body contact such as rugby remain suspended.
“Now we have improved national capacities to detect and track cases, and we also have effective safe management measures in our schools. Therefore, the Ministry of Education will carefully resume more programs at different levels of our schools,” the ministry said.
List of activities that can be resumed in schools from mid-October 2020 (Table: Ministry of Education)
Most CCAs and school activities will resume from mid-October, after the year-end exams, with the following rules in effect:
– The total group limit will be increased from 20 to 50 people (including students and adults who support them), except for higher risk activities that remain suspended or limited to a smaller group limit.
– Students must maintain a safe distance of at least 1m between them, while activities involving greater physical exertion would mean that there must be a safe distance of at least 2m between students.
– When a safe distance of 1 m cannot be observed, students should organize into groups of five with 1 m between groups. For more physically demanding activities where students are unmasked, there should be a minimum of 3m between groups.
– Students must stay within their fixed groupings when participating in activities that involve mixing between different schools.
– High contact points and common facilities will be removed at the end of each activity or group change.
– Schools will continue to screen all visitors, including coaches and instructors, for flu-like symptoms, such as fever and cough, and will ensure that they comply with all measures.
Singapore underwent eight weeks of a “circuit breaker” between April 7 and June 1 in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The schools reopened on June 2 in phases.
READ: Schools will gradually resume CCAs, group physical education activities will be limited to 5 students per group
Since then, secondary schools, colleges and the Milennia Institute gradually resumed selected CCAs and other activities as of July 27, while elementary schools were given the option to bring such activities back as of July 14. of September.
The MOE said it would continue to monitor the situation closely as more aspects of school life resume.
“We urge all students and staff to continue to practice good personal hygiene, exercise social responsibility and adhere to safe handling measures, whether on or off campus,” the ministry said.
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