Delays in School Infrastructure Projects Due to COVID-19 Situation

1. The COVID-19 situation has posed severe manpower constraints in the construction sector, disrupted the supply of construction materials, and impacted the progress of a number of school infrastructure projects, affecting two primary schools, two secondary schools and four Junior Colleges (JCs).

Infrastructure Projects for Primary Schools

Relocation of Angsana Primary School

2. Angsana Primary School (APS) was scheduled to relocate to its new campus in Tampines North in January 2022, with a new MOE Kindergarten (MK) opening at the new campus. Based on the progress of works, MK@Angsana will be able to open on time at the new campus in January 2022. However, there will be some delays to the rest of the new campus, and APS is expected to relocate from its current site to the new campus in Tampines North up to six months later, during the 2022 June holidays. Please refer to Annex A for more information on the school's current and new sites.

3. MOE will work with MK@Angsana to ensure the safety of all MK students and staff while final works go on for the rest of the campus. This includes providing a designated and safe walking route to the MK, cordoning off of other parts of the campus from the MK and its activities, as well as other mitigation measures to minimise disruptions to the MK students, such as protection against dust and noise.

Upgrading for Mayflower Primary School

4. Mayflower Primary School (MFPS) and MK@Mayflower are currently holding at the former Kebun Baru Primary School site as its permanent site undergoes Primary Education Review and Implementation (PERI¹) upgrading works. The school and MK were scheduled to shift back to the permanent site in January 2022.

5. As more time is required to complete the school's PERI upgrading, MFPS and MK@Mayflower will delay the shift back to the permanent site by up to six months, during the 2022 June holidays. Please refer to Annex B for more information on the school's permanent and holding sites.

Infrastructure Projects for Secondary Schools

Upgrading for Woodlands Ring Secondary School and Merger with Fuchun Secondary School

6. Woodlands Ring Secondary School's (WRSS) permanent site was scheduled to be upgraded from January 2022 to December 2023 under the Programme for Rebuilding and Improving Existing schools (PRIME²). During that time, the school was to hold at the former North View Secondary School site. As more time is now required to prepare the holding site, the school will make the shift to the holding site in January 2023, and will operate there until December 2024. The school's upgraded permanent site is now scheduled to be ready from January 2025.

7. MOE had announced earlier³ that WRSS and Fuchun Secondary School would merge in January 2024, when WRSS' upgraded campus was ready. To minimise disruption to students and staff of the merged school, the merger will be delayed by one year and take place in January 2025. Please refer to Annex C for more information on WRSS' permanent and holding sites.

Upgrading for Hai Sing Catholic School

8. Hai Sing Catholic School (HSCS) was scheduled to undergo PRIME upgrading from January 2022 to December 2023. During that time, the school was to hold at the former Greenview Secondary School site. As more time is now required to prepare the holding site, the school will make the shift to the holding site in January 2023, and will operate there until December 2024. The school's upgraded permanent site is now scheduled to be ready from January 2025. Please refer to Annex D for more information on HSCS' permanent and holding sites.

Updates to the JC Rejuvenation Programme

9. The JC Rejuvenation Programme⁴ works for four JCs – Anderson Serangoon Junior College (ASRJC), Jurong Pioneer Junior College (JPJC), Temasek Junior College (TJC) and Yishun Innova Junior College (YIJC) – were scheduled to start in 2023 and complete tentatively by end-2025.

10. As more time is required for sprucing and construction works of both the holding sites and the rebuilding at the permanent sites, there will be a two-year delay to the overall completion of the JC Rejuvenation Programme for ASRJC, TJC and JPJC, with the new rebuilt campuses to be ready from January 2028. For ASRJC and TJC, their shift to their respective holding sites at the former Serangoon JC and Tampines JC will now take place in January 2024, where they would be holding for four years.

11. The upgrading works at the former Innova JC site will be delayed by one year with YIJC relocating to the upgraded site in January 2027. Please refer to Annex E for more information on the JCs' current, holding and permanent sites.

12. MOE will work closely with all affected schools to ensure that students continue to have a conducive learning environment. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation to assess the impact on ongoing construction works, and provide further updates where necessary.

Footnotes

1. In line with the Primary Education Review and Implementation (PERI) Committee's recommendations for a more holistic education, primary schools will feature more spaces for engaged learning in both academic and non-academic areas e.g. classrooms, outdoor learning facilities and specialised rooms that facilitate greater interaction, self-discovery and experiential learning.
2. PRIME is an initiative by MOE to upgrade schools to provide a more conducive environment for teaching and learning.
3. Please refer to the press release on school mergers for more information: https://www.moe.gov.sg/news/press-releases/20210407-school-mergers
4. MOE announced the JC Rejuvenation Programme during the 2019 Committee of Supply Debate, where older JC campuses would be upgraded or rebuilt to support more interactive models of teaching and learning. Four JCs (ASRJC, JPJC, TJC and YIJC) would be upgraded or rebuilt under Phase 1 of the JC Rejuvenation Programme.