More school activities will be allowed to resume from mid-Oct. 2020 onwards, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said in an Oct. 7 press release.

This is due to improved national capabilities to detect and trace cases, and effective safe management measures (SMMs) in schools, MOE said.

What activities are resuming?

From mid-Oct. 2020, after the year-end examinations, schools will be allowed to resume the following activities:

• Activities at external venues, such as Learning Journeys and SwimSafer 2.0, a national water safety programme.
• Activities involving students from different schools, such as local Olympiads, and Inter-School CCA collaborations such as combined CCA practices.
• Speech and drama programmes and wind instrument playing, subject to a five-participant limit and with a teacher or instructor required.
• Non-residential activities run by MOE at its Outdoor Adventure Learning Centres.

Meanwhile, outdoor adventure learning activities conducted by Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) or external vendors can be conducted from 2021, though overnight camps remain suspended.

What activities are still suspended?

Certain activities remain suspended, however:

• Singing
• Activities involving a "high level of body contact" such as Taekwondo sparring, as well as Rugby scrum and tackle
• Overnight camps

Up to 50 pax allowed for CCAs and school activities

CCAs and school activities have been subject to 20-person limit.

This will be increased to 50, except for higher-risk activities, which remain suspended or limited to smaller groups.

The limit of 50 will include students and adults, MOE said.

National School Games and Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Arts Presentation to resume from 2021

MOE also said that the National School Games and Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Arts Presentation would resume from 2021.

However, further details of these activities will only be available "at a later stage".

The 2020 edition of the annual SYF was conducted online.

Safe management measures (SMMs)

MOE outlined safe management measures (SMMs) to be followed, such as safe distancing of at least two metres between students for activities involving physical exertion where students are unmasked.

MOE also said that there should be minimal inter-mingling between students and members of the public when taking part in activities or programmes at external venues.

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Top photo via MOE on Instagram