One of the sectors that’s been greatly upended by the COVID-19 pandemic is the education sector. From welcoming hundreds of young students into school grounds every weekday, schools have needed to restrict entry and movement, and they have had to tend to virtual classrooms instead of physical ones. Almost overnight, parents have had to become co-teachers, and teachers and school administrators have had to double as IT support providers for their respective education ministries.
In other parts of the world, this has been an extremely difficult endeavor, but perhaps, there are good takeaways from the coordinated and adaptable response of schools in Singapore. Local and international schools alike have contributed greatly to Singapore’s COVID-19 initiatives for young students, who comprise a significant part of Singapore’s population. As a result, Singapore has remained a model country for COVID-19 response and a consistent top performer in Bloomberg’s COVID Resilience Rankings.
If you’ve got a child enrolled at either a public school or at an American education Singapore school, here are some of the particular responses that you will be able to observe from the school administration. You can rest easy knowing that the country’s education sector is one in ensuring the health, emotional wellbeing, and learning continuity of your child.
Utmost Adherence to Public Health and Safety Protocols
Singapore schools have embraced their role as ambassadors of the country’s government in promoting the utmost health and safety of its youngest constituents. That means that school administrators have done their part in disseminating information about Singapore’s COVID-19 vaccination program for children ages 12 and up, upholding protocols for hand hygiene and mask-wearing, and overseeing safe social distancing while children are on school grounds. In this regard, schools have been essential in preserving a Singapore-wide culture of respecting the rules and looking out for those who are vulnerable.
A Focus on Blended Learning That’s Customized to the School
Second, Singapore schools have adopted a blended learning approach, or one that combines home-based learning and onsite learning when it is safe and logistically sound for the latter to take place. For the most part, schools have adapted to the reality that much of their students’ learning for the foreseeable future will have to be done online, and they’ve followed the blended learning frameworks proposed by Singapore’s Ministry of Education. But they’ve also fused their own learning philosophies and pedagogies into the blended learning setup, thus making it their own. You can expect an international school to customize their delivery of blended learning according to their core outcomes, like students’ completion of Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.
The Use of High-Tech Contact Tracing Technology for Students
Singapore uses a country-wide contact tracing system called TraceTogether, which involves the use of either a mobile phone app or Bluetooth-activated tokens. Both the tokens and the TraceTogether app-linked devices will send signals to nearby devices in order to maintain an up-to-date contact tracing network. Singapore schools have enjoined their students to follow this system whenever they have to enter school grounds. Through the use of the TraceTogether system, whole networks of young students are kept updated about when someone has tested positive. This allows schools to tighten their screening protocols as necessary, and it also helps parents attend to their children’s health conditions as soon as possible.
Extended Conversations on Students’ Mental Health
There’s no denying that the pandemic has factored greatly into students’ overall mental health. Despite the circumstances, many students still feel quite pressured to perform to a very high academic standard. And due to the physical barriers that have come in between them and their friends, as well as their beloved teachers, students are likely feeling lost, isolated, depressed, and bereft of energy to do their schoolwork and their extracurricular activities. Knowing that, school administrations have been more candid about the issue of mental health, and teachers have been trained to spot the warning signs of mental health problems in their students. Your child’s school may already have personalized mental health support initiatives in place, as well as a school-wide advocacy for making blended learning more meaningful, engaging, and emotionally resonant to students.
Strengthened Relationships between Parents, Students, and Teachers in the Online Setting
Lastly, schools in Singapore have placed a premium on strengthening relationships and fostering a sense of community among students, their parents, and their teachers. Knowing that a strong collective identity and purpose can sustain their respective communities in difficult times, schools have adapted their curricula to put the focus on these. In international schools, students are encouraged to be self-directed in their online learning and to step up as leaders among their peers. Their teachers and parents inhabit pronounced mentor and support roles, serving as guides in the students’ holistic formation. Though this setup may demonstrate a change in the dynamic, it is very much welcomed. It will one day produce graduates who possess strong character and who embody the values held sacred by the school.
Final Words
Education will continue to be a challenge for everyone involved as long as SARS-CoV-2 is making the rounds. But schools are always focused on helping their students realize their full potential, whether that’s in times of prosperity or in times of great adversity.
Singapore schools are doing their very best to safeguard students’ interests and to deliver quality education. You can put your faith in your child’s school, and do what you can as a parent in nurturing their school life.
