Schools to stay open despite haze; O-level, A-level exams to proceed next week: Desmond Lee

Lee cautioned against misinformation about school closures circulating on social media.

“There have been instances where fake news about school closures were put out on social media, causing confusion and anxiety,” he said, urging parents, students and the public to refer to MOE’s official channels and Parents Gateway for updates.

More information about any changes in the scheduling of O- and A-level examinations will be available on the SEAB website, he added.

The main written papers for the GCE O-Level examinations are scheduled to begin on Oct 19 and run until Nov 10. The GCE A-Level examinations are ongoing, with H2 Physics and Biology practical examinations scheduled for Oct 19 and 22 respectively, ahead of the main written papers starting on Nov 2 with General Paper.

All papers for this year’s Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) concluded on Sept 30.

On Oct 16, Lee also outlined measures to keep schools operating amid worsening air quality, including adjustments to outdoor activities, the deployment of air purifiers and additional precautions for students with pre-existing health conditions.

For younger students, MOE will consider closing schools and moving to home-based learning from pre-school to secondary school levels if the 24-hour PSI forecast for the following day reaches the hazardous range of 301 and above, he said.

Lee said parents and guardians will also be strongly encouraged to keep infants and young children at home in such a scenario, given their greater vulnerability to the health effects of haze.

Kindergarten programmes and early intervention services for children with developmental needs will also be suspended under such circumstances, he said. 

These include the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children  (EIPIC and EIPIC-P) services, and preschool-based early intervention programmes, such as the Development Support-Plus programme and Development Support-Learning Support programme.

Lee acknowledged that this can be challenging for parents who cannot work from home or find alternative care for their children. 

Therefore, MOE Kindergartens and Kindergarten Care as well as pre-schools licensed under the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will remain physically open, he noted.

Children who report to these facilities will be able to participate in indoor activities, such as reading and hands-on activities, with precautions such as the use of air purifiers in enclosed rooms, he added.

Lee also reassured that primary and secondary schools, student care centres and special student care centres will remain physically open to take care of students who do not have alternative care arrangements.

In-person lessons in junior colleges and other post-secondary institutions such as polytechnics and universities would likely continue as students are older, although adjustments may be made depending on actual circumstances, he said.

During the severe haze episode in September 2015, MOE closed all primary and secondary schools for a day on Sept 25 that year, when air quality was forecast to reach very unhealthy or potentially hazardous levels. An O-Level practical examination originally scheduled for that day was postponed to Sept 29.

The PSLE, however, proceeded as scheduled on Oct 1 that year, with candidates taking their papers in enclosed spaces equipped with air purifiers.