School reopening: Staggered starts at MOE kindergartens, primary schools in 2021

SINGAPORE — The reopening of Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergartens and primary schools next year will be staggered to ensure the effective roll-out of Covid-19 safe-management measures.

In a statement on Friday (Dec 18), MOE said that when the school term begins on Jan 4, only Kindergarten 1 and Primary 1 pupils have to report to school. If necessary, only one parent or guardian will be allowed to accompany each new pupil to the school on their first day.

Returning pupils — those in Kindergarten 2 and Primary 2 to 6 — will report to school the next day, on Jan 5. 

MOE’s full-day childcare service Kindergarten Care will not be open for Kindergarten 2 children on Jan 4 to allow the operators to accommodate the parents that day.

School-based student care centres will, however, remain open in the afternoon on Jan 4 for Primary 2 to 6 pupils who are enrolled in them.

All secondary schools will resume their school year on Jan 4, while junior colleges and the Millennia Institute in Bukit Batok will reopen on Jan 11. Parents or guardians will be allowed only to drop off the students at the schools.

“To ensure that schools remain a safe place for teaching and learning, safe-management measures will continue to be observed when schools reopen, including visual screening and temperature taking of individuals, observance of high standards of hygiene and safe distancing between students and staff,” MOE said.

More school events will also resume next year after being cancelled this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The annual National School Games will resume for sports across the A, B and Senior Divisions from mid- to late-February next year.

The Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation, where students put on shows and vie for awards, will resume for secondary schools, junior colleges and the Millennia Institute from late March to early May.

Some events, such as football, rugby and choir, will remain suspended because they do not meet the national guidelines for safe resumption. 

MOE said that it is working on finding ways to modify or conduct these events in a safe and meaningful manner in time for the 2021 season. 

Details of the resumption of Junior and C Division sports, slated for the second half of next year, will be announced later, the ministry added.