Communications Note to Parents/Guardians of All Pupils 

24 June 2009 

Dear Parent/Guardian 

7-Day Leave of Absence (LOA) for Pupils Returning from H1N1 Affected Countries 

1.                  As part of measures to reduce the risk of Influenza A (H1N1) among pupils when school reopens on 29 June, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will issue Leave of Absence (LOA) to all school staff and pupils returning from affected countries[1] on and after 22 Jun, so that they do not attend school activities for seven calendar days upon their return to Singapore. This will reduce the risk of H1N1 spreading within the school community and in Singapore when school reopens. Pupils on LOA will be given home-based learning packages by their teachers. 

2.                  In addition to LOA for affected pupils, we will also implement other precautionary measures. We will set up stations at our school gate to screen pupils and staff when they come to school. We will advise those who have returned from an affected country on or after 22 Jun, but have somehow missed the earlier notification, that they are on LOA and should go home. Those who are unwell will also be asked to go home.  We will also institute twice-daily temperature taking, and closely monitor our pupils.  

3.                   In addition, school assemblies, Supplementary classes, Remedial classes, Higher Mother Tongue classes will be suspended and CCAs scaled down during the first week after school reopens in order to minimise congregation of school staff and pupils, unless otherwise instructed. For the first week of Term 3,  pupils will assemble in the respective venues: 

P1                                                -     Hall     

P2 CH, 2DI, 2FA, 2GR, 2HO       -     Open Deck

P2 JO,  2KI, 2LV, 2PA, 2PE        -     Canteen

P3                                                -     Basketball Court

P4 CH, 4DI, 4JO                          -     Outside own classroom

P4 FA, 4GR, 4HO, 4KI, 4LV        -      Basketball Court

P5                                                -      Open Deck

P6                                                -      Hall 

4.                    There will also be tighter school security. All visitors will be screened for travel history and temperature taking before they can enter our school. Please take note that only the Main Gate and Gate 4 will be opened as per the practice since the outbreak of H1N1. Gate 2 will only be opened for dismissal. No one is to enter the school through Gate 2. All visitors and parents must enter the school only by the main gate so that they can be screened before entering the school. 

5.                  The additional measures are part of the precautionary measures that our school has already implemented to prevent the spread of the virus among our staff and pupils. We will continue to maintain cleanliness of our school premises, remind pupils of the importance of personal hygiene and monitor pupils for signs that they may be unwell.

6.                  We seek your cooperation and understanding in the school’s efforts to implement these measures.  Let us work together to keep our schools open, and safeguard the health of our pupils.  In the event that your child registers a fever during his/her daily temperature check, we seek your understanding to bring him/her home to rest. Please also encourage your child to practise good hygiene at home. With your support, we hope that every child can develop such good habits that will last them through life.   Submission of Travel Declaration Form 

7.                  Before the close of Term 2, the school has obtained your child’s travel plans for the June holidays. However as the travel plans might have changed, all parents are required to re-submit the travel declaration form, attached together with this letter, when school re-opens. 

8.                  Please complete the form and submit it to the school by one of the following methods: 

(i)                  If your child has not been to any of the affected countries, or has returned from affected countries before 22 Jun and is well, please submit the form by hand through your child when he/she returns to school on Mon 29 Jun; OR 

(ii)                If your child is returning/ has returned from affected countries on and after 22 Jun, please submit the declaration form by mail/email to the school. 

9.                  The Influenza A (H1N1) affected countries are those considered by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as having community spread and/or are known to have exported cases. As of 22 Jun, these countries are Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States of America, Indonesia and Hong Kong. Parents are advised to refer to the MOH website (http://www.moh.gov.sg) on Mon 29 Jun for updates. 

10.              Our pupils’ safety is of utmost concern to us. MOE is in close consultation with MOH and will activate other appropriate measures should there be a need to. We will continue to keep you updated of new developments.  

11.              Please contact us if you need any clarification. We will be happy to assist you. You may access the soft copies from our school website at www.gmsponline.net  and GMlites (CLICK HERE)

Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs)

on How Schools are Coping with Influenza A (H1N1) General   

1. How will LOA be implemented? How will teachers inform students who have travelled to affected countries beforehand they should not report to school?  

Before school re-opens, schools will communicate with all parents via multiple channels to obtain the updated travel history of their children, inform them of the implementation of LOA, and update them on any new advisories given out by MOH. The multiple channels include phone calls, emails, postal letters and notices on school websites. Those who have travelled to affected countries will be issued an LOA before school reopens.

2. for students whose parents have been to affected countries, will an LOA be issued to the students? 

Presently, these students will not be issued a LOA as the students did not travel to the affected countries. However, MOE will review our measures based on the latest situation, in consultation with MOH.

 3. besides LOA, what other measures are in place to protect the well-being of the student population? 

When school re-opens on 29 June, schools will implement a number of precautionary measures. These include setting up stations at the school gates to screen staff and students who are entering the school premises. Those who are unwell will be advised to go home. In the first hour, students will be asked to submit their declaration forms to their teachers. Students who register a fever, or who have travelled to affected countries, will be immediately moved to another room. The school will inform the parents of unwell students to bring them to see a doctor and seek their cooperation to exercise social responsibility and ensure that their children are well before returning to school. 

Schools will institute twice daily temperature taking, and closely monitor staff and students. In addition, school assemblies will be suspended and CCAs scaled down during the first week after school reopens in order to minimise congregation of school staff and students. Recess will also be staggered. Schools will continue to keep their premises clean and remind their staff and students to maintain high standards of personal hygiene. There will also be tighter school security. All visitors will also be screened for travel history and temperature taking before they enter school premises.

MOE has also developed a public education package to educate and remind all staff and students on the need to exercise good hygiene and social responsibility.

4. Why were parents not informed earlier that affected students would only be allowed to return to school after 7 days of returning to Singapore? 

The global situation for Influenza A (H1N1) is dynamic. MOE has been monitoring the situation very closely. In recent weeks, Singapore has seen a sharp increase in the number of confirmed cases. As travel is the major source of new H1N1 cases, MOE has decided to implement a 7-day leave of absence for all school staff and students to slow the spread within the school community and in Singapore.

  Teaching and Learning Matters  

5. What are the learning provisions put in place for students who are on LOA? Will there be remedial lessons planned for them? 

For students who are on LOA, schools will send the relevant learning materials covered in class to them as part of the home based learning package for as long as they are on LOA. In this way, they will be able to keep pace with their classmates and minimise the disruption to their learning when they return to schools.

Teachers will keep in touch with these students and provide help if necessary. As home-based learning will not be able to replicate face to face teaching and learning, schools will also provide make-up lessons where necessary.

Examination Matters

6. What will happen to students who have to miss their Oral Examinations beginning 2 July 2009 in the event they are put on LOA? As Oral exams are conducted over a 10-day period, the affected candidate can be re-scheduled to take the make-up oral exam. As Listening Comprehension (LC) is conducted on only one day, candidates who are unable to sit for the LC (whether due to H1N1 or other reasons) would be given special consideration so that they would not be penalised due to their inability to take the examination because of valid reasons.  (Note: such special consideration applies for all students who fall ill and is well-established.) END