Singapore Plans To Upgrade 40 Primary Schools By 2012
Another batch of 40 primary schools will be upgrading their infrastructure over the next few years.
These upgrades will better support the delivery of holistic education recommended by the Primary Education Review and Implementation (PERI) Committee, by catering to a wider range of programmes that improve learning and develop soft skills.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is facilitating the transition of primary schools to single session by 2016.
The first two phases of the ministry’s plans to enhance primary school infrastructure in line with PERI’s recommendations include the building of 11 new primary schools and the upgrading of 37 existing schools under Phases 1 and 2 announced earlier.
Together with the new list of 40 primary schools to be upgraded under Phase 3 starting from end 2012, these three phases of infrastructure enhancements are expected to cost a total of $1.1 billion.
The list of schools to be upgraded under Phase 3 is in Annex A.
The locations of the schools to be built or upgraded under Phases 1-3 are in Annex B.
Remaining schools will be upgraded in subsequent phases.
Schools can look forward to new school norms such as redesigned classrooms, a band room, a dance studio, a performing arts studio and an outdoor jogging path.
An indoor sports hall (ISH) will also be provided to schools as part of the upgrading.
The new facilities will encourage more interaction and self-discovery, and facilitate experiential and hands-on learning.
The ISH will provide schools with greater flexibility to conduct Physical Education lessons and co-curricular activities at all times of the day and weather conditions, as well as provide more opportunities for students to take part in mass sports activities, and/or train in competitive sports.
With these, pupils will be able to benefit from a wider range of activities that will nurture life skills and develop their character.
The upgrading plans are being implemented in phases. The majority of the schools under Phase 3 will continue to operate on their existing sites during the upgrading works.
MOE will take the necessary safety and security measures during the upgrading process.
Sharing of School Facilities with the Community to optimise land use and facilitate sharing of school facilities with the community, Pek Kio Community Centre and Farrer Park Primary School have collaborated on a pilot co-location project.
As part of the collaboration, the community centre can use school facilities such as the ISH after school hours and run programmes together with the school.
More details of the project will be announced by the People’s Association later.
Last year, MOE had also unveiled a new concept of community sharing between Tampines Primary and Secondary Schools, and the residents of Tampines.
The schools were specially designed to not only serve the school community but also the needs of the wider community, and suitable facilities are made available for use by the community after school hours.
In addition, currently 135 school fields and 45 ISHs are shared with the community, in partnership with the Singapore Sports Council under the Dual Use Scheme, and these numbers will increase.
Bearing in mind that the safety of students and the security of the school is paramount, MOE will continue to consider suitable opportunities and partnerships for the sharing of school facilities with the community going forward.
Topics: 2011, Asia, bursaries, college, community sharing, Dual Use Scheme, economic development, economic growth, Economy, education, framework, funding, Governance, government, holistic education, infrastructure, learning, Ministry of Education, MOE, moniter, monitor, news, Pacific, Peri, Primary Education Review and Implementation Committee, primary schools, schools, Singapore, Singapore Sports Council, society, soft skills, students, Tampines
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