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COVID-19: Some CCAs, school activities can resume from 27 July, says MOE

Students in face masks seen in Clementi on 19 June 2020, the first day of Phase 2 of Singapore’s re-opening.   (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)
Students in face masks seen in Clementi on 19 June 2020, the first day of Phase 2 of Singapore’s re-opening. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE — From the week of 27 July, secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute will be allowed to resume lower-risk co-curricular activities (CCAs) and other school activities, with appropriate safe management measures (SMMs) in place.

In a media statement on Thursday (23 July), the Ministry of Education (MOE) noted that physical lessons in schools have resumed for all levels of students, who have adjusted well to the various SMMs in place. “It is now timely to safely resume other important aspects of school life to support holistic student development.”

The ministry added, “For primary schools, such activities will resume only at a later date, once we are able to assess the progress for the older students.”

The following activities can take place with SMMs in place:

  • Maximum of 20 students per activity and where possible, the composition of participants should be fixed to minimise inter-mingling. For example, badminton CCAs may resume, with a maximum of 20 participants per venue.

  • Within the activity, groups of five or fewer students can interact more closely. For example, there can be a group of five students in a computer club working on a software programme, four students playing doubles for table tennis, or a two vs two basketball game;

  • Modified game rules will apply, such that students will be at least one- metre apart, even for physical activities.

Schools will continue to screen all visitors, including coaches and instructors, for flu-like symptoms such as fever and cough, and ensure that they comply with all SMMs. Meanwhile, CCAs and school activities that involve the following will remain suspended:

  • High level of body contact, like taekwondo sparring or rugby scrum

  • High exposure to aerosol and splatters, like playing of wind instruments or choir

  • Inter-mingling of students between schools; and

  • Activities held at external venues.

LIST: Ministry of Education
LIST: Ministry of Education

MOE stressed that while CCA experiences and school activities are important elements of students’ holistic development, and there are no mandated timelines for CCA resumption. Schools will still have flexibility in deciding when activities will resume, while also ensuring that the workload of teachers and students remain manageable.

“MOE will continue to monitor the situation closely and review our plans in tandem with the national posture. For example, if community transmission continues to be under control, we can move to games that are five vs five, with modified rules to ensure physical distancing.”

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