By Leow Si Wan

SCHOOLS have been contacting students who travelled to flu-affected countries during the June break to remind them not to attend holiday classes and activities within a week of returning home.

At least one, Ping Yi Secondary School, has even cancelled non-essential activities, such as camps. It will also have its security guard check at the school entrance if students have been to any of the listed countries.

A check with 17 primary and secondary schools and junior colleges found them busy telephoning, e-mailing or sending text messages to staff and students who have been to countries with sustained community transmissions, such as Thailand, Canada and the United States.

'We have been SMS-ing these people and putting up notices on the school website to remind them not to come to school within seven days,' said a principal from a junior college.

Schools said they were carrying out a directive from the Education Ministry for students and staff who have travelled to affected countries to stay away from school for a week upon their return and to visit a doctor if they are unwell.

Last week, two students who did not know they were infected went back to school for remedial and holiday activities before being diagnosed.

Students' well-being is most important and a seven-day hiatus will prevent community spread, said a secondary school principal.

Schools are pulling out all stops to make sure the directive is followed.

Ping Yi Secondary's principal, Madam Shanti Devi Thambusamy, added that the school has a mass SMS system which can be activated to contact parents and students when there is a need to share new information.

Nan Hua Primary School is also making plans for when school reopens.

The school principal, Mrs Lee Hui Feng, said that the school will not have assemblies for a week 'to minimise contact in large groups' and classrooms will be disinfected.

Some parents returning home from holidays were caught by surprise.

Said Madam Clare Lee, who had just returned from a two-week holiday in London: 'I just came back so I am not aware about my children having to stay home for seven days.

The homemaker and mother of two teenagers added: 'They have school activities next week so I will definitely e-mail their teachers to find out what should be done and follow instructions.'

Additional reporting by Cheryl Ong & Corrie Tan

This article was first published in The Straits Times.