SINGAPORE: Pre-school and primary school students will be placed on a 14-day leave of absence if they are staying in the same household as a person who is returning from overseas from Thursday onwards, authorities said on Tuesday (Mar 24).
The same applies for students who live with a person who had travelled to the UK, US or ASEAN countries and returned on or after Mar 14.
The student’s leave of absence will start from the day the traveller in the household returned to Singapore.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said that the measures are in addition to the 14-day leave of absence for students and school staff members returning from travel on or after Mar 14.
READ: ‘One of us needs to be at home’: Parents prepared to take leave or work from home to care for children on leave of absence
READ: COVID-19 temporary measures: Gatherings outside of school and work limited to 10 people, entertainment venues to close
MOE and MSF encouraged employers to provide flexible work arrangements for their employees to accommodate such “exceptional circumstances”.
“MOE and MSF will continue to monitor the situation closely, and work with schools, preschools, student care centres, parents and the community to ensure that our schools, preschools and student care centres remain safe,” said the ministries.
The ministries urged students and members of staff who are staying with people on leave of absence or stay-home notices to monitor their health, see a doctor if they are sick, and to return to school only when fully recovered.
READ: 49 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, with 32 imported cases; most travelled to UK
READ: COVID-19 FAQ: When will a stay-home notice be issued, and what does it mean?
On Mar 19, MOE and MSF announced precautionary measures for all students and school staff members returning from travel during the March school holidays.
Less than 10 per cent of students and staff members across all schools were affected by the move, said MOE on Sunday.
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung also detailed many “significant additional precautionary measures” implemented to safeguard the entire system.
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