Local schools in Singapore will reopen from 19 May as Singapore is slowly loosening up its “circuit breaker” measures. A COVID-19 virtual press conference held on 2 May. National Development Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned that the first wave of students that will be asked are the graduating cohorts that are scheduled to take their national examinations. They are namely Primary 6, Secondary 4-5, IP6 and JC2 students. The schools will also help to assist students who require practical classes and consultations. For instance, those from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). However, these schools must continue to follow the strict guidelines imposed to keep the teachers and students safe. The rest of the students will continue with Home-Based Learning (HBL) until further notice.
Preparing Students for Schools Again
How should I prepare my child who is taking his/her national examinations in this difficult period? It is important that students are ready to make the transition back to school during this momentary break. Some students may be surprised and unable to adapt to changes so quickly. This is because they had stayed at home for months and had to do their assignments online. With Singapore schools set to reopen, here are some preparation tips from TutorAnywhr:
Adjusting back the body clock
Sleeping habits of students may have changed during this “circuit breaker” period, and many students may have an improper sleeping routine during this time. Since students will be returning back to school, it is likely that they have to wake up early again to get to school punctually. Take action early by enforcing a proper sleeping routine. This is so that students are able to adapt back to the usual routine and time to get up for school.
Checking for school schedule and curriculum
It has been awhile that students were absent from school. Such return would trigger the school to send out newsletters and updates on the schools’ schedules and curriculum. It is important to pull these information from the school so that parents will be aware of the current status and adapt accordingly.
Remember to mark down the important dates on your calendar so that your child will not miss any important events set by the school. If your child is still struggling to catch up with school work, TutorAnywhr has online tutors to help. Simply fill up a request form and we will send you a list of available tutor profiles within 24 hours. The current “circuit breaker” measures forbid face to face tuition. Our tutors are trained to conduct lessons online using softwares such as Zoom or Google Meet.
Keeping up the good habit
It is important to emphasise to students about their personal hygiene in this period of time. Ensure that your child continues to keep up with a standard level of hygiene, such as washing their hands regularly and keeping a safe distance with others in school. More importantly, they should always wear a mask as long as they step out of their house. This is especially important for the graduating cohort, as they should keep out as much distractions and disruptions possible. This is so that they can focus on studying for their national examinations. It will be good to prepare a personal hygiene kit for your child. It should should include essentials such as an extra face mask, hand sanitisers, or alcohol swabs.
Gearing Up
As schools in Singapore are set to reopen on 19 May, and with the dates for national examinations loom nearer for the graduating cohort, it is natural that parents will worry for their children’s future. Although schools are slowly opening up and gearing students up for their national examinations, some students may continue to struggle and lag behind their peers. This is when home tuition comes in. Since 1-to-1 home tuition is suspended due to COVID-19, parents and students can opt for online home tuition instead. Although it may be significantly different from physical face to face tuition, it is an alternative method for students to catch up with school curriculum and better prepare them for their upcoming national examinations..
