For now, the Ministry of Education says that there is no need to extend the holidays or keep schools closed.

But teachers have begun gearing up for the possibility that they might have to conduct lessons and collect assignments over the Internet. Ten primary and secondary schools and junior colleges told The Straits Times that they were putting their e-learning systems in place.

More Singaporeans, including schoolchildren, are expected to return from overseas over the coming days as the mid-year holidays draw to a close.

On Wednesday, the Health Ministry said that Singapore could expect an increase in the number of imported H1N1 cases as people return from vacations in flu-affected countries.

On Wednesday, 17 new H1N1 patients were diagnosed here, all with travel histories to affected areas. Another 11 were diagnosed yesterday.

The Education Ministry said that schools would be ready to carry out home-based learning if they had to.

Schools have a variety of ways for children to learn via the Internet, such as online weekly lesson plans, e-portals to track learning and allow students to submit assignments, as well as other learning materials.

Another JC vice-principal said the college had enough resources for one or two weeks of home-based learning, while a secondary school principal said teachers were preparing for 'every possible scenario' to conduct e-learning for as long as needed.

An Education Ministry spokesman said the ministry was monitoring the H1N1 situation in schools and the general community carefully. Most of the 15 parents interviewed by The Straits Times did not think it necessary to keep schools closed.

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

Additional reporting by Cheryl Ong