By DAWN TAY

THE Ministry of Education has outlined precautionary measures against Influenza A (H1N1) for over 520,000 primary- school pupils and secondary and junior-college students returning to school next week.

At a press conference yesterday, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen emphasised that parents and children must play a part to slow down the spread of the virus.

Dr Ng said: "As community infection spreads, we may have to close clusters, levels, or even schools. We may very well have situations where schools close, open, and close."

Measures to be taken include:

Leave of absence (LOA)

Children and staff who have returned from affected countries like Australia and the United States from Monday will be given a seven-day LOA and advised to stay home. The children will be provided with learning materials by their schools.

Screening to detect suspected H1N1 cases

- Temperature taking twice daily in schools

- Screening of travel history

Before schools re-open, they will contact children and parents to check their health and travel history.

Travel-declaration forms will be sent to staff, children, vendors and service providers.

Students taking O and A levels

For those who miss the O-level oral exams next month because of illness or because they are on LOA, make-up sessions will be provided.

Students on LOA and home quarantine or those who have flu-like symptoms, but who are able to sit for written exams, will take them in isolated rooms.

For those too sick to take the exams, the ministry gave the assurance that they will not be penalised but it did not give further details.

One parent who has no problems with her children returning to school is housewife Sandra Teoh, 48. The mother of two boys in secondary school and junior college said: "I'm worried, of course, but I can't be worrying every day about something that may not happen.

"They could get it anywhere, not just in school."

dawnt@sph.com.sg

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