Following two confirmed cases of COVID-19 involving two canteen vendors, Jurong Pioneer Junior College (JC) will begin full home-based learning tomorrow (7 Apr).
The JC said in a message to parents last Sun that the start of the full home-based learning will be brought forward from Wed (8 Apr).
Meanwhile, the JC’s premises will be closed today for cleaning and disinfection. Staff members, as well as other canteen vendors, were placed on a leave of absence.
The two vendors infected with the virus work in the same stall in the school and were asymptomatic as of last Thu.
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung in a Facebook post on Mon (6 Apr) said that while the risk of further transmission is low, the Ministry of Education and the JC’s principal have agreed to close the school as “an added precaution”.
“The risk to students is low because first, both operators were symptom-free when they were last in school. Second, interactions between students and stall operators are always transient. Third, we have been advised by healthcare experts that consumption of food is not a common mode of transmission.
“Notwithstanding these, we decided to close the schools for two days, as an added precaution, as we are determined to keep the virus out of our school compounds,” said Mr Ong.
Mr Ong added that the closure of schools will be the Government’s approach “moving ahead, beyond the circuit breaker and full HBL period”.
“Take additional precautionary measures, including closing a specific school for a couple of days if need be, to keep out the virus and give parents and students greater peace of mind,” he said.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a televised address last week said that schools will transition to full home-based learning until the end of this month.
The said measure is part of the Government’s latest efforts to enhance safe distancing measures and further limit social interactions within the community, said Mr Lee.
Other measures include closures of non-essential offices and further restrictions on movement within the wider community.
