PSLE candidates in quarantine need to inform school by 12pm, take daily ARTs at 6pm: MOE

SINGAPORE - Quarantined pupils who wish to take the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) this year will need to inform the school by 12pm on the day they receive a quarantine order.

They will also need to complete a daily antigen rapid test (ART) at 6pm on the day before each paper.

These were among more detailed rules provided in a circular issued by the Ministry of Education (MOE) ahead of the first PSLE written paper on Thursday (Sept 30).

On Sunday, the ministry and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board announced new rules allowing quarantined students and those on approved absence to sit their national examinations.

It said then that those on quarantine have to test negative for Covid-19 with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at the start of the quarantine order, and complete a self-swab with ART kits at home and test negative within 24 hours before each examination paper.

The circular on Tuesday added that quarantined pupils must wait at home for Certis officers to arrive to administer their entry PCR test.

The circular noted that a PCR test takes at least 24 hours to be processed such that the earliest a child will be able to sit the PSLE exam is two days after the day of notification.

This means that if a paper is scheduled the day after pupils receive a quarantine order, they will not be able to sit the specific paper but can apply for special consideration through the school.

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Under special consideration, a candidate will be awarded a projected grade for a particular paper that takes into consideration multiple sources of data, such as the candidate's performance in other papers for that subject and the school cohort's performance in national and school-based exams.

The Certis officer will also provide ART kits for candidates to conduct daily ARTs while waiting for their entry PCR test results, said the circular. They will be notified about these results via online portal and app HealthHub or SMS.

If the entry PCR test is negative, a child has to take an ART that evening before the paper and photograph the negative ART result.

On the day of the paper, the circular said that a pupil will need to show the negative PCR test and a photograph of the ART result to sit the PSLE paper.

He has to continue doing ARTs the day before his remaining papers.

The circular added that quarantined parents may accompany their child to school after satisfying the same requirements.

It reiterated that candidates have to travel directly to the exam venue by private transport or on foot, with no stops in between.

Those who are positive for Covid-19 or on stay-home notice are still not allowed to sit exams this year.