Secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute will have the option to resume lower-risk co-curricular activities (CCAs) from next Monday.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday that "it is now timely to safely resume other important aspects of school life to support holistic student development".

Such activities in primary schools will resume at a later date, after the ministry has assessed how the resumption of CCAs has worked out for older students.

MOE noted that school activities have been progressively resuming over the past two months, and physical lessons in schools have resumed at all levels. Students have also adjusted well to the safe management measures in place.

CCAs and school activities must adhere to required measures - which may entail adjustments to game formats and rules - before they can resume. A maximum of 20 students for each activity will be allowed, and where possible, the composition of participants should be fixed to minimise intermingling.

For example, badminton CCAs may resume, with a maximum of 20 participants at each venue.

Groups of five students or fewer can interact more closely during an activity. For example, a group of five can work on a software programme in a computer lab, four can play doubles at table tennis, or two can play against two in a basketball game.

Modified game rules will apply, such as students having to remain at least 1m apart, even during physical activities.

Schools will continue to screen all visitors - including coaches and instructors - for flu-like symptoms, and ensure that they comply with all safe management measures.

Netball coach Justin Teh, 48, said he welcomed the resumption of sporting activities.

"The key thing for sports is... if there's something wrong, we can correct (the students) in real time.

"When you're online, it's very hard to correct their posture, the way they pass, the way they move, so from now, it's going to be a lot easier," said Mr Teh, who coaches at Eunoia Junior College and Singapore Chinese Girls' School.

Nanyang Junior College girls' volleyball captain Tan Zhu Kou, 17, said her team is likely to hold one in-person training session and two e-training sessions next week.

"Not being able to train in real life... we could really feel our skills deteriorating... We could feel a drastic difference, like we had lost the touch and feel (of the ball)," said the JC1 student.

Meanwhile, CCAs and activities that involve high levels of body contact, such as taekwondo sparring and rugby scrums, or high exposure to aerosol and splatters, such as playing wind instruments or singing in a choir, will remain suspended.

Activities involving intermingling of students between schools, as well as activities held at external venues, will also not be allowed.

MOE said CCA experiences and school activities are "important elements of our students' holistic development".

"They provide our students more opportunities and platforms to explore their passion, build friendships and develop character and resilience," said the ministry.

But it added that "schools will still have flexibility in deciding when activities will resume, while also ensuring that the workload of teachers and students remains manageable".

The ministry said it will continue to monitor the situation closely and review its plans in tandem with national guidelines.