Delay in upgrade, relocation of two secondary schools, four JCs

One-year deferment comes as design plans, construction work have been hit by virus measures

Upgrading and relocation plans for two secondary schools and four junior colleges will be deferred for a year because of measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

The precautionary measures have affected design plans, the production and delivery of construction materials, the availability of workers, and on-site construction work.

For instance, upgrading had been planned for Woodlands Ring Secondary School between next January and December 2022, during which the school was to move to a holding site, the former North View Secondary School premises.

But the upgrading will now start a year later than planned, and the school will move to its holding site from January 2022 to December 2023, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday.

Plans for Yusof Ishak Secondary School's (YISS) relocation to Punggol next January will also be delayed by a year, as construction work for its new campus was halted during the circuit breaker period.

The school will move in January 2022 instead, the MOE said.

To minimise disruption to students' learning, YISS will admit its new cohort of Secondary 1 students only in 2022, when it has moved to its new premises.

"The delay will have no impact for the current students in YISS. The earlier arrangements for them to continue their studies in the existing YISS campus in Bukit Batok would remain," the MOE said.

The ministry also announced updates to the junior college rejuvenation programme. In the first phase that was supposed to start in 2022, Anderson Serangoon Junior College and Temasek Junior College were to move to holding sites while their campuses were rebuilt.

And Jurong Pioneer Junior College was to move into its new home, which is being rebuilt at the former Jurong Junior College, while Yishun Innova Junior College was to move to its upgraded site at the former Innova Junior College.

As circuit breaker measures have affected preliminary construction work, the upgrading and rebuilding plans will be deferred for a year to allow for more time to determine what upgrades and construction work are needed for the permanent and holding sites, said the MOE.

Construction is expected to start in 2023 and finish by end-2025.

Arrangements will be made to ensure the students at the schools and junior colleges affected continue to have an environment conducive to learning, the ministry said, adding that it will continue to "monitor the situation closely and assess the impact of the Covid-19 situation on ongoing construction works".

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 02, 2020, with the headline Delay in upgrade, relocation of two secondary schools, four JCs. Subscribe