The Ministry of Education (MOE) will be bringing primary, secondary, and junior college students back to school progressively from Jun. 28, the ministry said in a press release on Jun. 14.

This comes after full home-based learning (HBL) was announced from May 19, 2021 to the end of Term 2, in the midst of tightened measures in Phase 2 (Heightened Alert).

Progressive return to school

MOE said that schools will "ease into full resumption of school", and students from different levels will return on different days, as follows:

• Primary 4 to 6, Secondary 3 to 5 and all JC/ MI students will return to school from Monday, Jun. 28, 2021.
• Secondary 1 and 2 students will be on Home-Based Learning (HBL) till

  Wednesday, June 30, 2021, and will return to school from Thursday, Jul. 1, 2021.

• Primary 1 to 3 students will be on HBL for the first week, and schools will continue to provide instructions and support for students to access online and hardcopy HBL materials. They will return to school from Tuesday, Jul. 6, 2021 onwards, as Monday, Jul. 5, 2021 is Youth Day, a school holiday.

MOE kindergartens and school-based Student Care Centres will resume fully from Monday, 28 June 2021, which MOE said was to facilitate care arrangements.

As for Special Education schools, MOE said the students' return to school from Jun. 28 would be staggered based on students' needs, though all students would be back in school from Tuesday, Jul. 6, 2021.

Institutes of Higher Learning

Meanwhile, Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) will progressively increase the number of students allowed back on campus for in-person learning.

From Jun. 21, 2021:

• Small-group classes or consultations that were previously conducted online can resume on campus.
• Students will continue to return for essential in-person sessions such as labs and practicals.
• In-person examinations will also continue to be held with no more than 50 persons per venue.
• All in-person classes and other activities on campus are subject to strict SMMs.
• Classes and lectures with more than 50 persons will continue to be held online.

Safe Management Measures at schools and IHLs

Schools and IHLs will ensure that Safe Management Measures (SMMs) are in place, MOE said, including requiring students to be masked at all times in school, use either the TraceTogether token or app, and follow exam-style seating, among other measures.

Students will be seated in fixed arrangements with at least 1m spacing for staggered recess time, while dining in at canteens and dining halls at IHLs can continue with the necessary SMMs.

National School Games cancelled

MOE added it plans to gradually resume in-person Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) from the second week of Term 3, starting with low-risk activities.

However, to minimise intermingling of students from different schools in line with the gradual resumption of student activities, the National School Games for Junior and C Divisions, as well as the remaining games for A Division will be cancelled, MOE said.

Private education instutions, private tuition, enrichment centres

All private education institutions (PEIs) must continue to abide by all national SMM guidelines, MOE said.

They are "strongly encouraged" to take reference from the measures for schools and IHLs, and may adopt measures that are tighter than national SMMs if they wish, added MOE.

Private tuition and enrichment centres can also resume in-person lesson from Jun. 21, 2021.

In doing so, however, centres should take reference from prevailing guidelines, such as those by MOE, SportSG and the National Arts Council.

MOE added that it would "monitor the situation closely and make adjustments in accordance with the national posture."

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Top image via MOE on Facebook