Important Factors to Consider while Choosing an International School in Singapore During Covid-19 Crisis

The current COVID-19 pandemic has upended the traditional educational system across the globe. It has left a significant impact on people’s health and their learning, working, and living habits. One of the most significant issues caused by COVID-19 is how to adapt to a physical classroom-based educational system. People all around the world are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in varying stages, which means they have to deal with a wide range of challenges, from overwhelmed healthcare systems to a sense of dread on the financial front. Many stakeholders are considering reopening schools in the cities that seem to be coming out from the first wave and second waves of COVID-19.

Challenges of ensuring that learning goes on even in the pandemic

On one hand, reopening the schools can help the children get back on the track to learn new things at school. But on the other hand, it poses a risk of a surge in the rate of infection amongst the children. As such the onus of ensuring the safety of students lies on the school’s administration.

Like the majority of schools in the world, any reputed Singapore Ib School wouldn’t want to compromise with the health and safety of its students. But ultimately, it’s a parent’s call to choose a school that will safeguard the health of their children.

System leaders around the world—at the federal, state, and district levels—are grappling with three critical challenges about getting students to the classrooms safely:

• When should schools reopen?
• Should schools reopen for certain groups of students and teachers?
• What health and safety precautions should schools take when they reopen?

A parent’s first concern is their child’s health and well-being, and schools should prioritize these issues. While Singapore has been able to open up most activities and places, the way international schools of Singapore operate now, with safe distancing rules and other safety rules, it is different from what it was previously. These changes require a parent to revamp the approach to find a new school for their child.

How to ensure that education progresses ahead without compromising on student safety?

As a parent, isn’t it challenging to find a good international school in Singapore that nurtures your child’s skills, particularly in this period of a health crisis? Do not worry; here are 5 considerations for choosing a school during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Prefer an international school in Singapore with strict protocols

Make sure the school you pick for your child adheres to safety protocol. Ensure if the school follows the protocol set by the government? How are classroom and co-curricular activities progressing with safe distance measures? Are masks and face shields mandatory? How does all this affect learning?

Is sanitization a priority at your chosen international school of Singapore?

Are there hygiene measures in place? Is cleanliness a top priority among the teaching and non-teaching staff at the chosen international school of Singapore? Say yes to the school only if the answer to these questions is yes. Surfaces in schools should be professionally sanitized and cleaned frequently. Off-days should be devoted to deep cleaning. All face masks and hand gloves protocols should be adhered to by all students and staff of the school.

Are the classes properly ventilated?

Transmission risks rise up dramatically when people are crowded in poorly ventilated premises. The school should ensure steady flow of fresh air and proper ventilation in every single classroom. This way the chances of airborne transmission goes down significantly for the students.

Has the school successfully synced online-offline learning?

Announcement of lockdowns should not impede academic progress. A good IB school in Singapore would synchronize its classroom education with blended online learning. This way, the student need not skip classes due to lockdown, but simply have to log in at home and get valuable learning even in these times of uncertainty brought about by COVID-19.

What should be monitored after schools reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic?

 The following should be monitored:

• Effectiveness of symptom reporting, monitoring, rapid testing and detection of suspected cases.
• Impact of policies and measures on educational objectives and learning outcomes.
• Impact of policies and measures on the health and well-being of children, siblings, employees, parents and other family members.
• The number of school children and staff cases and frequency of school-based outbreaks Local administrative region and country.
• Assessing the impact of distance learning on learning outcomes.

Further improvements should be made based on what is learnt from this monitoring to offer the safest possible environment for children, teachers, and staff.

Final Takeaway

Many renowned international schools of Singapore adhere to a global curriculum. Enroll your child in a school that not only makes the experience enriching for your child in terms of marks and academics, but also takes all essential safety precautions during this pandemic.