All in-person private tuition and enrichment lessons for students aged 18 and below will be suspended from May 19 to June 13, 2021, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Tuesday (May 18).

All lessons, whether academic or non-academic, must be shifted online, or otherwise suspended during this period.

This is due to the higher risk of transmission of Covid-19 from the intermingling of students from different schools, and to avoid interactions between tutors and students, according to MOE.

Shift online, or suspend classes

All organisations and individuals, including centre-based classes, home-based businesses, as well as one-on-one classes, must shift their lessons online during this period.

The list of activities include education and development support activities, arts and culture classes and workshops, religious classes, as well as sports and physical activity classes and programmes.

However, there are several exceptions, including MOE-registered Foreign System Kindergartens, select Private Education Institutes (PEIs) or organisations and individuals who are providing one-on-one sport or physical activity classes and programmes.

The full list can be found in the MOE advisory here.

In addition, MOE emphasised that Early Childhood Development Centres licensed by ECDA and student care centres may continue to provide care to children, subject to all prevailing safe management measures.

Classes for students older than 18 can continue

Classes catering exclusively to students older than 18 may continue in person, subject to all prevailing safe management measures.

According to MOE, for centres that cater to both school-going children and adults, lessons for those aged 18 and younger should shift online or otherwise be suspended, while lessons for those above 18 years old can continue in person.

Many new cases linked to Learning Point tuition centre

Previously, MOE announced on May 16 that centre-based private tuition and enrichment would be suspended for students aged 18 and younger, under the Phase Two (Heightened Alert) national stance.

The announcement came after a private tutor at Learning Point tuition centre was confirmed to have Covid-19 on May 12, and a number of new cases reported were subsequently linked to this case.

Top image via Chan Chun Sing/FB.