Thirty-six unused state properties, including former schools, will be converted into temporary accommodation for migrant workers by the end of this year.

The joint announcement by the National Development and Manpower ministries yesterday came shortly after the multi-ministry task force tackling the coronavirus outbreak said about 60,000 bed spaces for migrant workers could be made ready by the year end.

About 25,000 migrant workers will be housed at the 36 sites, which include vacant factories and tentage at the National Service Resort & Country Club Kranji.

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the task force, said: "For now, we have been using sites like army camps and sports halls, as well as some vacant HDB flats, to decant workers... in order to reduce the density of the dormitories.

"But these are temporary solutions because, eventually, these sites will have to be returned to their original users and, therefore, we need more sustainable solutions for new dormitory solutions."

In their statement, the ministries said that together with eight new Quick Build Dormitories, which will be built by the end of this year, the 36 converted properties will be a short-to medium-term arrangement to house the workers.

The properties will eventually be replaced by new purpose-built dormitories, which will house up to 100,000 workers in the long term.

Some of the 17 former schools that will be converted are the former Innova Junior College at 21 Champions Way and the former Tampines Junior College at 2 Tampines Avenue 9.

Mr Wong said: "In land-scarce Singapore, it is inevitable that some of these new dormitory sites would be quite near residential areas. So, all of us must do our part by rejecting the not-in-my-backyard mindset."