SINGAPORE, Oct 10 — Amid worsening air quality in Singapore over the past week and the government announcing its next tier of action plans and advisories, Minister for Education Desmond Lee today said the health and well-being of students and staff remain his ministry’s top priority.
“I know many parents are concerned about the haze, especially those with children who have medical conditions or are sitting for national examinations,” the minister noted at the start of his Facebook post at 5.30pm.
He assured parents that lessons and national examinations will continue in enclosed venues with air purifiers, and schools are ready to step up measures if needed.
Meanwhile, students who are unwell and unable to sit for their national examination may apply for special consideration through their school.
Parents may refer to the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board’s website for more information
School closures
On school closures, the education minster reiterated that the Ministry of Education (MOE) will consider closing schools and postponing examinations — for that day — if the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) is in the hazardous range.
Readings of above 300 denote that range.
“Any decision to close schools will be announced by around 8pm the day before through schools and MOE’s official channels.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely each day and review whether schools should stay open or be closed the next day,” Lee said.
The minister added that more information will be shared with parents via the Parents Gateway over the weekend.
Parents Gateway is a one-stop mobile app developed by MOE and GovTech to connect schools and parents on key administrative matters. It is also used for announcements.
“We appreciate your trust and partnership, and we will continue to take the necessary measures to safeguard the well-being of our students and staff,” the minister said.
Haze Task Force announces next tier of action plans
Yesterday evening, the government’s Haze Task Force, comprising NEA and 28 government agencies said it is prepared for the scenario of air quality reaching the very unhealthy range.
“HTF agencies stand ready to roll out the next tier of action plans and advisories to protect the health and well-being of the public, especially vulnerable groups including the elderly, pregnant women, children, and those with chronic lung and heart diseases.”
It announced various measures such as the distribution of N95 masks for Singaporeans who may be more vulnerable, the opening of haze shelters should PSI cross 201, and advisories relating to preschools, schools and workplaces.
This morning, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu reiterated the government’s concern about public health, and said she has been in touch with her Indonesian counterpart.
The minister also revealed that Singapore has offered support in managing forest fires. — AsiaOne
