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SINGAPORE – Schools will conduct Home Learning (HBL) for students for at least two days a month, starting in the third quarter of next year, and the practice will become part of the new normal coronavirus pandemic o no.
This change will affect all high school and college students, and all high school students will receive a personal learning device (PLD) by the end of next year.
With primary school students, the Ministry of Education will take a more calibrated approach, starting with a small-scale pilot involving five primary schools to better understand how the use of learning devices could affect younger students.
Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who made these announcements at the annual directors’ appointment and recognition ceremony on Tuesday (December 29), said that the switch to full HBL during the period of interruption had reinforced the need to develop students to be adaptable and agile. be more self-directed and independent learners.
Teachers saw the benefits of HBL in instilling these attitudes and mindsets, when their students took the initiative to organize into teams and delegate tasks to each other to complete group assignments.
“The question now is how we can secure these achievements and incorporate these new practices,” Wong said.
Anticipating concerns about the affordability of personal learning devices, which will take the form of a tablet or laptop, he said students can use their Edusave accounts to pay for them.
With Edusave’s one-time top-up of $ 200 in April, along with regular annual Edusave contributions, most students will have enough money in their Edusave accounts to pay for PLD.
Students from low-income households will also receive more subsidies so they do not incur out-of-pocket costs when purchasing their devices.
While the HBL days will be mandatory and part of the new curriculum, Mr. Wong said students who need to return to school during HBL for a variety of reasons will be able to do so, in consultation with their schools and teachers.
This includes students who require more supervision, those with special needs, and those who lack a supportive home environment.
He also addressed concerns about misuse of the devices by students.
Device management software will be installed on each device that will allow teachers to monitor how it is being used and keep track of how students are using it. The Ministry of Education will also increase education on cyber wellness.
The students The Straits Times spoke with welcomed the move, and many cited more rest and more family time as elements of HBL that helped reduce their stress.
While High School 1 student Veron Chia was initially concerned about being able to focus at home, the 13-year-old from Bedok South High School said that HBL helped her identify her own weaknesses and ask for help, rather than waiting for her teachers will notice it. he was having trouble.
“While I think I will miss my friends and do things like group projects, HBL made me do things like plan my own hours and manage my own work,” he added.
In his speech, Mr. Wong emphasized the crucial role principals play in the continuing evolution of the education system.
“You are the catalysts for change and you are the ones who make a fundamental difference in our educational system,” he said.
I was speaking with retired, rotating, and newly appointed principals and senior educators. He thanked the 30 senior educators who retired and praised their leadership through various public health crises.
“Through it all, they have shown their commitment, perseverance and resilience as leaders,” he said.
“They are living testimonies of the passion, courage, and courage required in school leadership work.”
Additional reporting by Liew Ai Xin
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