Arrangements for Schools and Institutes of Higher Learning in Phase Two

1. As Singapore transits into Phase Two of post-Circuit Breaker, students from all levels will return to school daily from 29 June 2020, while Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) will progressively increase the number of students allowed back on campus at any one time for face-to-face learning, while maintaining a significant amount of online learning. Schools and campuses will continue to adhere to safe management measures to keep students and staff safe.

Schools

2. Students have been on a weekly rotation schedule since school re-opened on 2 June 2020. Under this plan, some levels of students will come to school for the week while others do Home-Based Learning. MOE has planned for two cycles of weekly rotations, which will end on 26 June 2020. With the transit into Phase Two, we will not extend the arrangement further, and all levels of students will return to school on 29 June 2020. From 29 Jun 2020, schools will allow more activities to resume, as follows:

Physical Education (PE)

3. Schools will allow group activities and small-sided games that involve minimal physical contact, such as badminton, table‑tennis, volleyball, sepak takraw, with a limit of five per group and safe management measures. This may require some creative change in game formats and rules. These measures will take reference from Sport Singapore's advisory on resumption of physical activities in Phase Two.

MOE Centre‑Based Lessons

4. MOE centre‑based lessons will resume for non‑graduating levels from 29 June 2020 in line with students from all levels returning to school, with safe management measures in place. Please refer to the Annex for a list of the different MOE centres.

Co‑Curricular Activities (CCAs)

5. MOE intends to gradually bring back CCA activities, which are essential elements of school experiences. Schools will try to restart CCAs that can be conducted by coaches, instructors or CCA teachers through digital means. Such activities include dance, computer programming, art and robotics. For activities that are more suited to be conducted face‑to‑face, schools can implement them at the class level, to minimise inter-mingling. This means that students may not be participating in an activity that is their original CCA choice, but they will get to learn something new, together as a class.

Safe Management Measures

6. Safe management measures in schools will continue to include the following:

• Daily temperature-taking and visual screening for all students and staff.
• Students and staff who are unwell, or who have household members on Home Quarantine Order/Stay Home Notice or have adult household members with flu-like symptoms such as fever and cough, are required to stay away from school.

• Frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces and disinfection of the premises to be done daily.
• Students will continue to practise frequent hand-washing throughout the school day and wipe down of tables and shared equipment after use.

• Intermingling across classes and levels will be reduced.

• Fixed exam-style seating in classrooms with small group discussions allowed.
• Students are to continue sitting in spaced seating arrangements in canteens, where possible. Otherwise, fixed groups of up to five from the same class will be allowed.
• Staggered arrival, dismissal and recess timings to reduce congestion.
• Students and staff are required to wear masks. In situations where wearing of masks may not be practical (e.g. students with health conditions), they may wear face shields instead.

Institutes of Higher Learning

7. IHLs will progressively increase the number of students allowed back on campus for in-person learning. Students will continue to return for practical and lab sessions, with no more than 50 persons per class. Similarly, other classes or consultations that were previously conducted online can now gradually resume on campus with no more than 50 persons per class. All large-scale classes and lectures will continue to be held online.

8. Selected student activities, such as project work discussions, fitness training and face-to-face counselling, may resume gradually, subject to the necessary safe management measures, including at least one metre distance between individuals and with no more than 50 persons in a venue.

9. As of now, large-scale orientation activities will not be possible, but some smaller scale activities can proceed, in line with the safe management measures. These can include briefings, campus tours and non-contact ice breaking activities.

Safe Management Measures in IHLs

10. The IHL campuses will continue all necessary safe management measures, similar to the measures in schools. These include:

• All students, staff, vendors and visitors will be required to check in and out using SafeEntry, when entering or leaving the campus. Temperature and symptom screening will also be done at entrances.
• All students and staff will be required to wear masks at all time, although teaching staff have the option of wearing face shields in lieu of masks in specific teaching settings.
• Fixed seating and safe distancing in teaching venues where applicable.
• To reduce intermingling between students on campus, IHLs will stagger the start and end timings for lessons.

Private Education Institutions

11. Private Education Institutions (PEIs) offering pre-tertiary and tertiary courses may take reference from the plans and safe management measures in schools and IHLs. PEIs can allow all their students to return in Phase Two, subject to them meeting the national safe management guidelines for Phase Two outlined by MOH. The Committee for Private Education under SkillsFuture Singapore will provide more details to the PEIs.

Self-Help Group Enrichment Activities, Private Tuition and Enrichment

12. Self-Help Group enrichment activities held outside of school premises may resume from 19 June 2020. Private tuition and enrichment (less those activities involving singing or vocal training) may also resume services for all cohorts from 19 June 2020 onwards, with safe management measures in place. Students will need to maintain safe distancing of at least one metre from others and refrain from interacting. If some interaction is unavoidable, they must remain within groups no larger than five, with each group maintaining a distance of at least one metre (preferably two metres) from other groups, with no mixing between groups. Teachers may move between groups, but must keep contact to a minimum, and remain at the front of class as much as possible. Details of the mandatory safe management measures will be available from 17 June 2020 at the GoBusiness website: covid.gobusiness.gov.sg.

13. While our schools and IHLs will continue to implement safe management measures, it remains essential that each one of us exercises social responsibility through maintaining good personal hygiene and safe distancing measures – wash our hands regularly, wear a mask and see a doctor immediately when we are sick. As a reminder, staff and students should stay at home if you or a family member living in the same household is unwell. These collective actions are crucial in ensuring that our schools can remain open safely.