All schools in Singapore will start full home-based learning (HBL) from May 19 until May 28 when the school term ends, amid a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases in the community, Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing has announced.
Children study online (Photo: www.straitstimes.com)
Singapore (VNA) – All schools inSingapore will start full home-based learning (HBL) from May 19 until May 28when the school term ends, amid a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases in the community,Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing has announced.
This applies to all primary, secondary andjunior college students, as well as those from special education schools, theminister said at a media conference held by the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force.
Parents working in essential services orare unable to secure alternative care arrangements may approach theirchildren's primary schools for assistance. Schools will remain open forstudents who require additional support.
Institutes of higher learning will alsoreduce attendance on campus, by moving more classes online where possible.However, this does not include essential sessions that need to be conducted inperson, such as labs, practicals and final year projects.
All centre-based tuition and enrichmentclasses must also move activities online till the end of Phase 2 (heightenedalert), or until further notice is given.
Seven primary schools in Singapore earlier appliedHBL after several of their pupils tested positive for COVID-19. The cases arelinked to tuition centres, and none of the pupils appeared to have caught thevirus while in school thus far.
In Malaysia, amid the ravaging pandemic, PrimeMinister Muhyiddin Yassin on May 16 spoke highly of and thanked the country’seducators on the occasion of the 50th Teachers Day.
He said despite the limitations andchallenges, educators have made use of the online platform, with manysuccessfully producing various materials for the teaching-and-leaning methodsso as to ensure that their students would not be left behind in education./.
Two telecommunications companies of Singapore were fined for causing Internet service disruptions during the country’s circuit breaker period which affected many Singaporeans working from home or attending home-based learning.
Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin plans to launch the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDigital) to further promote the crucial economic sector’s growth, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Economy Mustapa Mohamed.
All Changi Airport passenger terminal buildings and Jewel Changi in Singapore will be closed for two weeks to all members of the public from May 13, amid a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases linked to the airport.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Children study online (Photo: www.straitstimes.com) 
