STUDENTS who have to miss school after travelling to H1N1 affected countries will have their lessons delivered to them at home.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday on the measures schools would take to cope with Influenza A (H1N1), Education Minister Ng Eng Hen told reporters that schools would continue providing lessons to students at home through various channels, including mail, telephone and e-mail.

'Extra attention will be paid to graduating cohorts of students,' he said, adding that schools would conduct make-up lessons to help students catch up.

Schools islandwide have been gearing up to offer home-based learning for students who are required to go on the week-long leave of absence after travelling to H1N1-affected countries.

Peirce Secondary School, for example, has made preparations to deliver lessons at home to all affected students - even those who do not have Internet access.

Principal Sim Chong Boon told The New Paper that the school would post lesson materials on its e-learning portal for students who have Internet access at home.

Most of the school's students have Internet access at home, with just five per cent who do not.

For these students, Mr Sim said the school would post them their assignments and follow up with them through telephone calls and text messages.

He said: 'We've been running e-learning sessions for the past three years. For about five hours on a particular day, students can log on from home and call a hotline if they have any questions.'

This article was first published in The New Paper.