3 test kits each for kids in pre-schools, primary schools

Pupils and staff at Singapore's pre-schools, kindergartens and primary schools will each get three antigen rapid test (ART) kits.

The distribution exercise involves pre-schools licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergartens, early intervention centres, primary schools and the primary or junior sections of special education schools.

This is on top of the nationwide distribution of six kits to each residential unit in Singapore, said MOE and ECDA in a joint statement yesterday.

The agencies said that the ART kits will allow pupils to quickly test themselves, assisted by their parents or guardians if necessary, when Covid-19 exposure or infection is suspected.

These include pupils who are identified by their school as possible contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 case but are not placed under quarantine, those on approved absence as they were feeling unwell with flu-like symptoms but were not swabbed when they visited the doctor, or those who have unwell household members with flu-like symptoms.

Primary schools, MOE kindergartens and special education schools will be engaging parents to do a one-time familiarisation exercise some time in the middle of next month on the use of the ART kit.

MOE and ECDA said this is to ensure that parents and children are familiar with the procedures for using the ART kits at home, as these may be used more regularly in the coming months to facilitate the safe return of students to school.

They added: "More details on the familiarisation exercise will be separately provided to parents by the respective schools later.

"Pre-schools will similarly be engaging parents on the use of the ART kits after the kits are progressively distributed from mid-September, and more details will be shared later."

In a Facebook post, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said that self-testing with ART kits would enable the quick detection of positive cases and the containment of potential transmission.

He also said schools will continue to adhere to strict safe management measures even as self-testing is introduced, such as having temperature screening and staggered recess times.