SINGAPORE - Students in primary and secondary schools, junior colleges and centralised institutes will be allowed to play with their classmates during breaks in groups of up to five while wearing masks, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (Jan 4).
In-person co-curricular activities (CCAs) will also resume for primary schools, without needing to split according to classes or levels if the total number of pupils, staff, service providers and volunteers are capped at 50, he said.
These were among several school activities that have resumed since Tuesday, said Mr Chan in a Facebook post, while noting that he had dropped by Punggol Cove Primary School earlier to greet Primary 1 pupils on their first day of school.
On Tuesday, Kindergarten 1 and Primary 1 pupils, as well as secondary school students, had their first day in school amid a third year of living with Covid-19. Pupils in other levels will return to school on Wednesday.
Mr Chan said secondary schools, junior colleges and centralised institutes can now conduct learning journeys and hold CCAs at external venues, provided there is minimal intermingling with the public.
Self-help group tuition and Dyslexia Association of Singapore literacy programmes at schools can also resume, he added.
Lastly, Primary 6 pupils may now attend flag-raising level assembly.
In November last year, the Ministry of Education announced that school activities such as CCAs and assemblies would resume for secondary schools from January.
In his Facebook post, Mr Chan added that the ministry hopes to resume the National School Games and Singapore Youth Festival later in the year.
"May the gradual resumption of activities contribute towards a richer and more fulfilling school year for our students," he said.
Mr Chan said witnessing parents and children arriving "hand in hand" reminded him of his children's first day of primary school years ago.
"I remember peeking at them through their classroom windows and trying to spot them during recess to see if they managed to buy a meal," he added.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...n-person-ccas-across-levels-resume-in-schools
