FOR New Town Secondary, the drowning of Danial Syawal Jailani, 12, was a terrible start to its swimming programme.

It was the first year the school decided that its Secondary One students should have swimming lessons during physical education classes.

And it was Danial's third lesson in Clementi Swimming Complex.

It is unclear how he drowned.

His parents said he was a strong swimmer, whom they often took to public pools and to the beach.

Classmates agree that he was no novice.

Janice Sie, 12, said: 'Danial was in the group which knew how to swim, but didn't know how to do proper strokes.'

During Monday's lesson, the Danial's group was practicing the butterfly and learning the backstroke.

But Danial, who developed a reputation as the class clown, would sometimes horse around, even doing somersaults in the water, she added.

School principal Neo Lay Wah would only say that the students numbered 58 in all were accompanied by four PE teachers and Singapore Sports Council-registered swimming instructors.

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.