3 new schools to be built in Punggol, one in Tampines: MOE

An MOE spokesman said a primary and a secondary school will be built at Punggol Central, and another primary school at Northshore Link in Punggol. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

SINGAPORE - Two primary schools and a secondary school will be built in Punggol to meet the demand in the young housing estate while a primary school will be built in Tampines North, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Thursday (Oct 19).

An MOE spokesman said a primary and a secondary school will be built at Punggol Central, and another primary school at Northshore Link in Punggol, "to meet the localised demand from these residential areas".

The new schools will bring the total number of primary schools in Punggol to 11, and the number of secondary schools in the area to four.

Besides in Punggol, the ministry is also building a new primary school in Tampines North, although it did not provide further details on the expected completion dates for the four schools.

The MOE revealed these plans in response to queries from The Straits Times, following a report on Thursday by Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao based on government tender documents which showed that the ministry had requested for a quotation on Oct 6 for a "proposed new secondary school" to be built at the junction of Punggol Central and Punggol Way.

The document also said the proposed development, with an estimated gross floor area of 28,335 sq metres, consists of two blocks of seven-storey classrooms, one block of three-storey canteen and a multi-purpose hall, with construction work expected to be completed by "fourth quarter 2020".

All the blocks will be interconnected via a deck at the second storey and link bridges on higher floors, said the document. The closing date to submit quotations is Friday (Oct 20).

Several secondary schools in mature housing estates have merged in recent years after being hit by falling student enrolments.

Eleven have merged with others in the last two years, including Balestier Hill Secondary School in Novena and Henderson Secondary School in Bukit Merah this year(17).

The MOE spokesman said the ministry "regularly reviews the demand and supply trends at the national and local levels to ensure that there are sufficient school places to cater to demand".

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