Should In-Person classes at Tuition & Enrichment Centres be shut down until most of the children are vaccinated?

[noobcarbuyer]

Timeline: How a COVID-19 cluster emerged at Learning Point tuition centre

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-cluster-learning-point-tuition-centre-timeline-14816706

SINGAPORE: A COVID-19 cluster has emerged linked to a tuition centre, with a tutor, seven children and a 41-year-old household contact testing positive.  

Identified as Case 63131, the tutor - a 50-year-old Singaporean woman teaching at the Learning Point branch at Parkway Centre - was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Wednesday (May 12).  

 

42 students from 30 schools in S'pore infected in past month

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/37-students-from-25-schools-infected-so-far

Affected schools range from pre-schools all the way to institutes of higher learning

A total of 42 students from 30 schools have been infected with Covid-19 over the past four weeks, including six new cases reported on Thursday (May 20).

This includes 15 cases linked to a cluster at the Learning Point tuition centre and another 11 to one at Changi Airport Terminal 3.

The affected schools range from pre-schools to primary and secondary schools, a madrasah, junior college and several institutes of higher learning.

Edited May 27, 2021 by noobcarbuyer

[Sosaria]

Can continue to run but in ventilated environment. No aircon, only use fans and open windows

Tution centre can't be equated to bars, entertainment outlets and KTVs.

Putting asymptomatic cases aside (and we now know that asymptomatics have less tendency to spread the infection), for the latter, people don't go for such places when they feel off-the-weather. As so far as we can see, there are such "bistro" still in operation until the recent heightened alert, and there were no outbreaks.

For the former, the tutor still drags himself to work when slightly ill. No work, no income.

The student still drags himself to attend class when slightly unwell (or the parents still send them , say they chao keng and waste money if absent)

Therein lies the danger.

Edited May 27, 2021 by Sosaria

[1fast1]

This shouldn't even be a question. In person tuition of all forms should be shut down. 

[noobcarbuyer]

4 minutes ago, Sosaria said:

Can continue to run but in ventilated environment. No aircon, only use fans and open windows

Tution centre can't be equated to bars, entertainment outlets and KTVs.

Putting asymptomatic cases aside (and we now know that asymptomatics have less tendency to spread the infection), for the latter, people don't go for such places when they feel off-the-weather. As so far as we can see, there are such "bistro" still in operation until the recent heightened alert, and there were no outbreaks.

For the former, the tutor still drags himself to work when slightly ill. No work, no income.

The student still drags himself to attend class when slightly unwell (or the parents still send them , say they chao keng and waste money if absent)

Therein lies the danger.

My impression of tuition and enrichment centers are that of a larger unit sub-divided into small window-less and heavily air-conditioned rooms.

On average, 10 to 30 students from different schools squeezed into each of the small rooms and classes conducted back to back throughout the day almost non-stop. 

My child attends Learning Lab and his class size is 15 students in a small conference type room. Teacher used face shield even when talking to the students in close proximity. No windows at all so not sure how they are going to even ventilate the place. And definitely no fans LOL. 

Not to mention the huge crowd of parents, maids and students waiting outside the tuition centers whenever the classes begin or end. No social distancing as far as I can see. And the students typically hop between different tuition & enrichment centers in a single day. Not to mention the tuition teachers who also go to different branches depending on their schedule.

Combined that with students usually not being very compliant with social distancing and mask wearing, and we have a huge problem on our hands.

And you are right, students will still be compelled to attend tuition even when unwell, and the tuition teachers don't want the hassle of arranging replacement lessons so they will carry on teaching if unwell too. 

Bars, entertainment outlets and KTVs have been shut since March 2020 last year, and there has not been a recorded instance of COVID-19 clusters forming in those industries. 

The Learning Point Tuition Center cluster not only has close to 30 cases (last I remembered), and directly affected more than a dozen primary schools and a few other tuition & enrichment centers also. 

I think MOE needs to ringfence the school system by preventing those center-based tuition & enrichment centers from operating In-Person classes until most of the students are vaccinated. 

[pi3142]

This should be asked when cases go back to zero again.

[noobcarbuyer]

26 minutes ago, Turboflat4 said:

This shouldn't even be a question. In person tuition of all forms should be shut down. 

Yes I agree.

Center based tuition & enrichment won't reopen for In-Person lessons for the foreseeable future.

But not sure about those private tutors or "teach from home" type of tutors.

Just 2 weekends back, my child's art teacher told me that I can still send my kid to her home for small group art lesson. 

I was very confused and told her that I thought MOH has stopped all In-Person tuition & enrichment.

Then she send me this link from MOE saying that only those center-based tuition & enrichment must stop. Those private tutors can carry on. 

But a few days after that I think MOE and MOH clamped down on all forms of tuition & enrichment, whether those larger center-based type or smaller private home-based type.

Edited May 27, 2021 by noobcarbuyer

[noobcarbuyer]

Are sports coaches who move across condos a weak link in S'pore's Covid-19 fight?

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/are-sports-coaches-who-move-across-condos-a-weak-link-in-covid-19-fight

SINGAPORE - Last Saturday (May 22) was like any other weekend at my condominium swimming pool, perhaps too normal considering the wave of Covid-19 infections.

A swim coach was seen providing one-on-one lesson, each lasting about 45 minutes, to several children in quick succession. I could not but wonder if this was risky, more so if the coach moves between different private pools the same day to conduct lessons.

From May 19, under the phase two (heightened alert) measures, all indoor in-person classes - including all kinds of arts, culture, religious and sports programmes - have been suspended for those aged 18 and under until June 13.

 

[t0y0ta]

3 hours ago, noobcarbuyer said:

Timeline: How a COVID-19 cluster emerged at Learning Point tuition centre

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-cluster-learning-point-tuition-centre-timeline-14816706

SINGAPORE: A COVID-19 cluster has emerged linked to a tuition centre, with a tutor, seven children and a 41-year-old household contact testing positive.  

Identified as Case 63131, the tutor - a 50-year-old Singaporean woman teaching at the Learning Point branch at Parkway Centre - was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Wednesday (May 12).  

 

42 students from 30 schools in S'pore infected in past month

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/37-students-from-25-schools-infected-so-far

Affected schools range from pre-schools all the way to institutes of higher learning

A total of 42 students from 30 schools have been infected with Covid-19 over the past four weeks, including six new cases reported on Thursday (May 20).

This includes 15 cases linked to a cluster at the Learning Point tuition centre and another 11 to one at Changi Airport Terminal 3.

The affected schools range from pre-schools to primary and secondary schools, a madrasah, junior college and several institutes of higher learning.

You not aware that G already ordered all tuition centres to move to online for this period?

Read up a bit before starting thread leh

[noobcarbuyer]

11 minutes ago, t0y0ta said:

You not aware that G already ordered all tuition centres to move to online for this period?

Read up a bit before starting thread leh

Very aware lah. 

My question is "Should In-Person classes at Tuition & Enrichment Centres be shut down until most of the children are vaccinated?

So do you agree that In-Person Center-Based classes at those Tuition & Enrichment centers should remain shut down until most of the children are vaccinated -- probably at the end of this year or maybe even next year? 

[Wind30]

Deleted

Edited May 27, 2021 by Wind30

[inlinesix]

Rather than children being vaccinated, why not all adults in tuition Centre be vaccinated?
No vaccination

No operation 

Edited May 27, 2021 by inlinesix

[Ender]

Online liao, at least my daughter's tuition classes.

[noobcarbuyer]

1 hour ago, Ender said:

Online liao, at least my daughter's tuition classes.

Yes all tuition and enrichment has been mandated by government to be Online only until 13 June. 

But should In-Person Center-Based classes at those Tuition & Enrichment centers remain shut down until most of the children are vaccinated -- probably at the end of this year or maybe even next year? 

 

[Weez911]

21 minutes ago, noobcarbuyer said:

Yes all tuition and enrichment has been mandated by government to be Online only until 13 June. 

But should In-Person Center-Based classes at those Tuition & Enrichment centers remain shut down until most of the children are vaccinated -- probably at the end of this year or maybe even next year? 

Vaccine for kids has not been approved yet. Only those in the 12 to 15 category can get the vaccine approved for use overseas (not by MOH yet). Officially, vaccine studies for younger children are ongoing, with results possibly by "early fall". By the time it reaches our shore, MOH will also need extra time to assess and approve the vaccine. 

We are looking at Q4 or next year earliest for Singapore.

Anecdotally my son's tuition centre has 1 positive case. After a 2-hr lesson, no one else kena. But I also saw Learning Point has many cases. I dono what's the difference in terms of their SMM measures but maybe can be done if the spacing, partition and masking can be effectively carried out. Of course not now but only if we can get this under control.

[Sdf4786k]

13 hours ago, inlinesix said:

Rather than children being vaccinated, why not all adults in tuition Centre be vaccinated?
No vaccination

No operation 

Since no one ask this unspoken rule.. shouldn’t the validity of the tuition Center “tutor” be track on whether the tutor moonlighting for the schools that they teach ?

this will be a larger repercussions of spreading of the virus

[noobcarbuyer]

21 minutes ago, Weez911 said:

Vaccine for kids has not been approved yet. Only those in the 12 to 15 category can get the vaccine approved for use overseas (not by MOH yet). Officially, vaccine studies for younger children are ongoing, with results possibly by "early fall". By the time it reaches our shore, MOH will also need extra time to assess and approve the vaccine. 

We are looking at Q4 or next year earliest for Singapore.

Anecdotally my son's tuition centre has 1 positive case. After a 2-hr lesson, no one else kena. But I also saw Learning Point has many cases. I dono what's the difference in terms of their SMM measures but maybe can be done if the spacing, partition and masking can be effectively carried out. Of course not now but only if we can get this under control.

Yes, it would be a while before vaccines are approved for children below the age of 12. 

The thing is, the Learning Point Tuition Centre cluster with close to 30 cases (last I heard) has validated the possibility of a super spreader event happening within an education setting. 

Bars, entertainment outlets and KTVs have been shut since March 2020 last year and Gyms have been proactively shut down since beginning of May 2021, and there has not been a recorded instance of COVID-19 clusters forming in those industries. 

So since the private Education and Enrichment sector has shown the possibility of COVID cluster formation which then spread more than a dozen schools (and could have been worse if not for HBL implementation in MOE schools), it is a pipe dream to not expect the government to keep the in-person center-based Tuition and Enrichment industry shut to ring fence the schools from outside infection. 

Anyway based on my observations, Safe Management Measures are only as strong as their weakest link. And expecting children below the age of 12 to follow SMM to the letter is like asking a bunch cats to stay within formation. LOL

[noobcarbuyer]

34 minutes ago, Weez911 said:

Vaccine for kids has not been approved yet. Only those in the 12 to 15 category can get the vaccine approved for use overseas (not by MOH yet). Officially, vaccine studies for younger children are ongoing, with results possibly by "early fall". By the time it reaches our shore, MOH will also need extra time to assess and approve the vaccine. 

We are looking at Q4 or next year earliest for Singapore.

Anecdotally my son's tuition centre has 1 positive case. After a 2-hr lesson, no one else kena. But I also saw Learning Point has many cases. I dono what's the difference in terms of their SMM measures but maybe can be done if the spacing, partition and masking can be effectively carried out. Of course not now but only if we can get this under control.

In terms of COVID Safe Management Measures implementation, I think it is still feasible for private one to one tuition or small-scale home-based providers of tuition & enrichment. 

It will be very much more difficult for those large center based Tuition and Enrichment centers to enforce effective Safe Management Measures.

[Windwaver]

No worries, although birthrate is all time low but we can always import foreign talents (that sing a different song)