26 April 2021
All secondary schools and junior colleges will implement blended learning for at least two days a month for some levels from the second half of this year. This means that students will have a mix of home-based and in-school activities.
The distribution of the devices – laptops or tablets – to support this format of learning is seven years ahead of the original plan. By the end of this year, the devices will be distributed to the rest of the secondary schools.
Education Minister Lawrence Wong had said, last December, that home based learning had reinforced the need for students to be more adaptable, self-directed and independent. But many educators were also relieved that face-to-face lessons in school resumed gradually last June, as they felt remote learning could not replace the full school experience.
An MOE spokesman said it is providing professional development opportunities for teachers to prepare for the rollout of blended learning this year. Platforms like Slido, Mentimeter, Kahoot! and Padlet have become familiar names to students, who have picked up new ways of learning, such as using software for group assignments.