Facilities in secondary schools such as libraries and science laboratories will also be upgraded to allow for more student-initiated activities and group discussions. – The Straits Times
SINGAPORE: Better network coverage in schools, better accessibility with more lifts and ramps, as well as upgraded libraries and science laboratories.
These are among the infrastructure developments in the coming years that the Ministry of Education (MOE) will carry out across all 330 primary and secondary schools in Singapore, to meet changing needs in teaching and learning.
Speaking to the media at the MOE headquarters on Monday (Aug 19), Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said the ministry is going to invest quite a lot in upgrading the infrastructure of Singapore schools.
These new features will be added to schools over time in the next 10 to 15 years, he said.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced during his National Day Rally speech on Sunday (Aug 18) that the learning environment and infrastructure of schools in Singapore will be enhanced to provide “a conducive environment for teachers to work, and for students to learn, interact and collaborate with each other”.
Chan said that classrooms today need to be configured more flexibly, and adopt more technology for learning.
For example, movable partitions and configurable tables can facilitate different group sizes and modes of learning. MOE said that this will encourage more collaboration through group work and discussions, for instance.
The ministry will also progressively upgrade network coverage in schools, and allocate more cloud storage capabilities for students and teachers.
Facilities in secondary schools such as libraries and science laboratories will also be upgraded to allow for more student-initiated activities and group discussions.
Students with mobility difficulties will also have better accessibility in schools, through the provision of more lifts and ramps.
In late 2023, the library at Bendemeer Secondary School was rebuilt and reopened in February 2024 to make the space more conducive for reading and learning.
Foo Sheue Feng, the school’s principal, said that it wanted the library to be more open, let more natural light in and allow for flexible use.
“In the library, students can do individual work, or move the tables and chairs to form a circle to aid in collaboration... We can hold various events in the library that cater to the school’s needs, such as level-wide programmes,” she said.
At Montfort Secondary School, five Secondary Three classes were equipped with flexible furniture in January 2024.
The school’s principal, Kelvin Lim, said that at the Secondary Three level, students study subjects such as social studies that warrant more discussion.
Having such flexible furniture allows students to form themselves into groups easily as and when they need to, and helps build communication skills, he said.
MOE is also exploring ways to share facilities across schools and with the community.
It will continue to work with Sport Singapore to design and open more school facilities, such as indoor sports halls, fields and game courts, for community use under the Dual-Use Scheme.
Facilities in selected schools, such as performing arts studios and rock-climbing walls, will also be shared across schools.
Measures such as using cool paint, providing more fans and rain shields, and increasing greenery will be implemented in schools, as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.
To reduce the need for manpower, MOE is also exploring using centralised kitchens to prepare and deliver food to schools, as well as installing full-height turnstiles at school access points.
Lastly, work spaces for teachers will be refreshed.
This will include more conducive and multifunctional work spaces such as pantries and areas for teachers to hold discussions, and private booths for recording online learning materials.
Said Mr Chan: “Every project is in itself an experiment to try out new ideas, so that we have a faster evolution of our schools in terms of the infrastructure to support our students, our teachers, and also the future.” The Straits Times/ANN
