Low-risk CCAs can resume in secondary schools, junior colleges and MI
Schools must ensure a maximum of 20 people each activity
Secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute can resume low-risk co-curricular activities (CCAs) and other school activities from Monday, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday .
Such activities in primary schools will resume at a later date, once MOE has assessed the progress made with older students.
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a Facebook post that things have been stable since schools restarted two months ago.
"We should start to bring back some lower-risk CCAs for secondary schools and JCs, with safety precautions," said Mr Ong.
Schools must ensure a maximum of 20 people each activity, and a fixed composition of participants - where possible - to minimise inter-mingling, such as badminton with 20 students per venue.
Within the 20, groups of five or fewer can interact more closely within an activity.
For example, five students in a computer club can work on a software program together, four students can play doubles in a table tennis game, or two students can play against another two in a basketball game.
MODIFIED RULES
Activities should still have modified game rules, even for physical activities, such that students have at least a one-metre distance between each other.
Schools will continue to screen all coaches, instructors, and other visitors for flu-like symptoms, and ensure they comply with safe management measures.
CCAs and school activities that will remain suspended include those with high levels of body contact, such as taekwondo sparring or rugby scrums; or high levels of exposure to aerosol and splatters, such as playing of wind instruments, singing in a choir, uniformed groups' foot drills or parades that require shouting.
Activities that require inter-mingling between schools or take place in external venues will not be allowed.
MOE said CCA experiences and school activities are "important elements of our students' holistic development".
"They provide our students more opportunities and platforms to explore their passion, build friendships, and develop character and resilience."
There will be no mandated timelines for CCA resumption, said MOE.
"Schools will still have flexibility in deciding when activities will resume, while also ensuring the workload of teachers and students remain manageable."
MOE said it will closely monitor the situation and review its plans accordingly.
Said Mr Ong: "If community transmission remains under control, we can progress to 5-a-side games in a few weeks."
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
