Covid-19 Cluster at Learning Point @ Parkway Parade: What you need to know

 A new cluster was announced at Learning Point.

Learning Point is a tuition centre located at Parkway Centre, Marine Parade. Parkway Centre is a popular building that houses a dozen or more enrichment centres. Popular schools there include RMSS, Tian Xia，The Alternative Story and many more. Other than the enrichment classes, Parkway Centre also has Platinum Yoga, McDonald's and Liho. All these are popular outlets for parents and students.

Who are in the cluster?

The affected students are as follow

• 2 boys from St Stephen's School, age 7 and 9
• 1 girl and 1 boy from Kong Hwa, age 9 and 8
• 1 boy from St Andrew' Junior School, age 9

They were students of a 50-year-old tutor who was confirmed to have the infection on May 12. It was not specified if they are from the same classes or from different classes. 

Separate case - VJC student from RMSS

This is not the first case from Parkway Center. Previously, it was reported that a VJC student who attended a class at RMSS on May 3 was infected. She was linked to the Changi Airport Cluster. While there are no direct links to the 50-year-old tutor, the potential of transmission could not be ruled out.

Actions taken

RMSS and Learning Point had moved their onsite lessons to online. 

Additionally, several other enrichment classes such as The Alternative Story and Leaping Maths will be conducting their classes via zoom.

Implications - Potential exposure at other Tuition Centers

Enrichment centres by nature is a potential hotbed for the spread of Covid-19. While schools had been iron cast in their approach to Covid-19, the same cannot be said of enrichment classes. Additionally, with a mix of students from different schools, a singular case can have an impact on hundreds of students. 

There are also other centres that may have been exposed as a result of students taking other classes at enrichment centres. From the recent list of places visited by Covid19 cases while infectious, it included 2 Centers in the East - Wang Learning Centre and HCL Education Centre.

While it is not compulsory, we do urge ALL tuition centres to go online during the Phase 2 Heighten Alert.

Impact on schools

As a result of the positive cases, the schools where the affected students are from had reverted to HBL on Friday. Close contacts of the students are also put on Quarantine Orders or Leave of Absence. There is no word if HBL will be extended in the respective schools for next week.