Press Releases

MOE KINDERGARTENS, PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS TO CLOSE ON 25 SEPTEMBER 2015

24 September 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1. Following the National Environment Agency (NEA)’s forecast that the 24-hour PSI for 25 September is expected to be in the ‘Very Unhealthy’ range, and the possibility of the air quality going into the ‘Hazardous’ range cannot be excluded, the Ministry of Education (MOE), in consultation with the Ministry of Health (MOH), has made the decision to close all primary and secondary schools on Friday, 25 September 2015. Lessons will be suspended.

2. MOE Kindergartens and special education schools, which take reference from and are guided by measures taken by our primary and secondary schools, will also be closed. Our schools are already reaching out to our parents to inform them of the closure of schools via phone or SMS.

3. Parents who are unable to make alternative care arrangements may continue to send their children to MOE Kindergartens, primary, secondary, and special education schools, and teachers will supervise them. School-based care centres will continue to operate for their existing students.

National Examinations Rescheduled

4. The following Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level Examinations have been rescheduled due to the school closure.

5. There is no change at this point in time for candidates scheduled for the practical sessions of the above subjects on Monday, 28 September 2015. School candidates will be informed through their schools and they may approach their school teachers should they have any queries. For more information, candidates may visit the SEAB website at www.seab.gov.sg.

Post-Secondary Education Institutions (PSEIs) and Junior Colleges

6. All Junior Colleges, Centralised Institute and Post-Secondary Education Institutes (PSEIs), namely the Autonomous Universities, Polytechnics and ITE, will remain open. Classes for these students, as well students in Year 5 and 6 of the Integrated Programme, will continue, as the students in these institutions are older, in accordance with the guidelines from MOH’s haze health advisory.

7. MOE and the PSEIs will continue to monitor the well-being of the students and staff closely and adopt the necessary mitigation measures based on MOH’s health advisory, such as scaling down or ceasing all outdoor and indoor physical activities.