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AJG Publishes Data from HighTide Therapeutics’ Phase 2 Study of HTD1801 Treatment in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

ROCKVILLE, MD and SHENZHEN, CHINA, Nov 17, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - HighTide Therapeutics, Inc. ("HighTide"), a globally integrated clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel multifunctional therapies for metabolic and digestive diseases, today announced the publication of the results of their Phase 2 study of HTD1801 in adults with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. (https://journals.lww.com/ajg/Fulltext/2022/11000/A_Randomized,_Dose_Finding,_Proof_of_Concept_Study.22.aspx)This study met the primary endpoint and multiple key secondary endpoints, demonstrating the safety and efficacy of HTD1801 in treating PSC. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a key biomarker of PSC disease severity. Data show that compared to placebo, both low and high doses of HTD1801 treatment could significantly reduce serum ALP levels. In addition, HTD1801 significantly reduced alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), further supporting the beneficial effects of HTD1801 in treating PSC. HTD1801 was shown to be safe and well tolerated at the doses studied in PSC patients. No severe adverse event related to HTD1801 treatment occurred.Professor Kris Kowdley, M.D., Director, Liver Institute Northwest and lead investigator, said, "There is a significant unmet medical need in treatment for PSC. The improvements in ALP we observed in this study, along with the excellent safety profile of HTD1801, are promising. In addition, the results of this study lay the foundation for future studies that will potentially prove the significant role of HTD1801 in the treatment of PSC."Dr. Liping Liu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of HighTide Therapeutics, said, "We are pleased to share the news of this publication. The results of this study encourage us to further study HTD1801's effects in treating PSC. We believe the long-term treatment of HTD1801 will lead to more clinical benefits for patients with PSC, who suffer with a disease with no effective therapy until today."About Primary Sclerosing CholangitisPrimary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic, progressive liver disease characterized by progressive inflammation and fibrosis of the intra-and/or extra-hepatic bile ducts, resulting in multifocal bile duct strictures. Most patients eventually have liver failure and cirrhosis, and their risk of malignancy significantly increases. PSC is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The accumulating evidence from various studies continues to strengthen the hypothesis that the gut microbiota plays a central role in the pathogenesis and progression of PSC. Until today, there is no approved therapy for PSC. As the fifth leading indication for liver transplantation in the U.S., PSC is a disease with significant unmet medical needs.About HighTide TherapeuticsHighTide is a globally integrated clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the discovery and development of novel multifunctional therapies for metabolic and digestive diseases with significant unmet medical needs. The company's lead drug candidate, HTD1801, is a first-in-class new molecular entity, currently in clinical development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). HTD1801 has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. FDA for both NASH and PSC, as well as Orphan Drug designation for PSC. In China, HTD1801 has been included in the National Major New Drug Innovation Program. For more information, please visit www.hightidetx.com.ContactJeffrey Daoir@hightidetx.com+1-650-580-3872 Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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American Journal of Gastroenterology Publishes Data from HighTide Therapeutics’ Phase 2 Study of HTD1801 Treatment in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

ROCKVILLE, MD and SHENZHEN, CHINA, Nov 16, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - HighTide Therapeutics, Inc. ("HighTide"), a globally integrated clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel multifunctional therapies for metabolic and digestive diseases, today announced the publication of the results of their Phase 2 study of HTD1801 in adults with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.This study met the primary endpoint and multiple key secondary endpoints, demonstrating the safety and efficacy of HTD1801 in treating PSC. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a key biomarker of PSC disease severity. Data show that compared to placebo, both low and high doses of HTD1801 treatment could significantly reduce serum ALP levels. In addition, HTD1801 significantly reduced alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), further supporting the beneficial effects of HTD1801 in treating PSC. HTD1801 was shown to be safe and well tolerated at the doses studied in PSC patients. No severe adverse event related to HTD1801 treatment occurred.Professor Kris Kowdley, M.D., Director, Liver Institute Northwest and lead investigator, said, "There is a significant unmet medical need in treatment for PSC. The improvements in ALP we observed in this study, along with the excellent safety profile of HTD1801, are promising. In addition, the results of this study lay the foundation for future studies that will potentially prove the significant role of HTD1801 in the treatment of PSC."Dr. Liping Liu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of HighTide Therapeutics, said, "We are pleased to share the news of this publication. The results of this study encourage us to further study HTD1801's effects in treating PSC. We believe the long-term treatment of HTD1801 will lead to more clinical benefits for patients with PSC, who suffer with a disease with no effective therapy until today."About Primary Sclerosing CholangitisPrimary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic, progressive liver disease characterized by progressive inflammation and fibrosis of the intra-and/or extra-hepatic bile ducts, resulting in multifocal bile duct strictures. Most patients eventually have liver failure and cirrhosis, and their risk of malignancy significantly increases. PSC is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The accumulating evidence from various studies continues to strengthen the hypothesis that the gut microbiota plays a central role in the pathogenesis and progression of PSC. Until today, there is no approved therapy for PSC. As the fifth leading indication for liver transplantation in the U.S., PSC is a disease with significant unmet medical needs.About HighTide TherapeuticsHighTide is a globally integrated clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the discovery and development of novel multifunctional therapies for metabolic and digestive diseases with significant unmet medical needs. The company's lead drug candidate, HTD1801, is a first-in-class new molecular entity, currently in clinical development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). HTD1801 has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. FDA for both NASH and PSC, as well as Orphan Drug designation for PSC. In China, HTD1801 has been included in the National Major New Drug Innovation Program. For more information, please visit www.hightidetx.com.ContactJeffrey Daoir@hightidetx.com+1-650-580-3872American Journal of Gastroenterologyhttps://tinyurl.com/mr3wyhu6 Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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HMI Group Expands Singapore Presence, Doubles Down on Value-based Care Offering

- HMI Group is increasing its investment in OneCare, a chain of private primary care clinics in Singapore- Since HMI Group's initial minority investment in 2018, the number of clinics OneCare operates has more than doubled from 12 to 25 to better serve the Singapore population- The investment is in line with Ministry of Health's strategy to sustain quality and value-based healthcare as demand risesSingapore, Dec 10, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Health Management International Pte Ltd (HMI Group), a growing regional private healthcare provider with presence in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, is expanding its Singapore footprint with a majority stake purchase in OneCare Medical Group (OneCare), a chain of private primary care clinics in Singapore. The move is part of HMI Group's strategy to boost value-based care offering across the country.tion "With the investment in OneCare, we are expanding our Singapore presence and doubling down on our value-based care offering in line with the government's '3 Beyonds' push to keep healthcare in Singapore affordable and accessible," said Ms Chin Wei Jia, Group Chief Executive Officer of HMI Group.Alongside the increased stake in OneCare, HMI Group's Singapore expansion strategy includes opening as well as acquiring more private primary care clinics. At the same time, HMI Group is also broadening its offerings at its subsidiary StarMed Specialist Centre (StarMed), a one-stop ambulatory care centre that provides quality, cost-effective, convenient and comfortable experiences for patients and their families.Since HMI Group opened StarMed in 2018, the centre has doubled in size from four floors spanning some 16,000 square feet, to eight floors spanning 29,400 square feet. StarMed is equipped with day surgery theatres, endoscopy suites, radiology centre, specialist clinics and health screening centre. Plans are underway to open an orthopaedic centre, a digestive and bariatric centre and an eye centre. In addition, StarMed is also building a new patient ward floor, which includes an ICU-capable negative pressure room."Our goal is to build a value-based healthcare ecosystem that offers primary to specialist and ambulatory care in Singapore," Ms Chin said.With OneCare, HMI Group is bringing affordable and quality primary healthcare to the heartlands to better serve the population's healthcare needs, including preventativemedicine to help avoid unnecessary hospitalisations. With StarMed, HMI Group is providing a quality alternative for people to access specialist healthcare and integrated services, without the long wait times or expense of traditional hospitals. This alternative access to specialist healthcare also means people may not need to defer elective surgeries due to limited hospital capacity, which occurs periodically when hospitals need to focus on Covid-patient care."Through StarMed, we want to help free up hospital beds for more urgent life-saving treatments. Especially since StarMed can handle 60% to 70% of healthcare procedures safely outside of hospitals, and also offers ambulatory care post-surgery," Ms Chin said.Making Private Healthcare Affordable and AccessibleIn 2017, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced the "3 Beyonds" strategy, which aims to ensure healthcare goes:1. Beyond hospitals to communities so people can receive appropriate care in the community or at home, and avoid frequent hospital admissions2. Beyond quality to value so people receive increased quality of care while ensuring value for money3. Beyond healthcare to health to encourage people to take proactive measures to stay healthyIn December 2018, HMI Group made its initial investment in OneCare with the goal of accelerating the private primary care clinics' growth to provide healthcare beyond hospitals and in heartland communities. Over the past three years, HMI Group has achieved that with OneCare's management team, which includes co-founders Dr Jimmy Chew, CEO of OneCare, and Dr Kenneth Koh, Medical Director of OneCare."Since 2018, the number of clinics OneCare operates has more than doubled from 12 to 25. Pre-covid, our clinics saw close to 450,000 visits annually, with around 90% of patients from the heartlands," Dr Chew said. "We plan to build on our achievements so far, and HMI Group's increased stake will allow us to offer personalised interactions and better healthcare experiences for more patients as we grow more clinics across Singapore."Holistic Healthcare for AllEstablished in 2013, OneCare's mission is to provide affordable private primary healthcare in Singapore through a hybrid of brick-and-mortar facilities and virtual care. OneCare clinics are Medisave and CHAS-accredited and most of the clinics are part of the various Primary Care Networks, which is the MOH's plan to have better coordinated and holistic primary healthcare in the community."HMI Group and OneCare share the same vision of delivering value-based care that's affordable and accessible," Ms Chin said. "We appreciate that OneCare clinics are well located within Singapore heartlands. These relationships built over time earns the residents' trust as important health partners providing holistic and accessible acute and chronic care serving the community's needs."Founded in 2018 in partnership with a group of specialist doctors, StarMed offers specialist care such as cardiology, gastroenterology, general surgery, orthopaedics, ENT, paediatrics, radiology and urology. The specialist centre offers competitive pricing and same-day appointments where patients could be referred from OneCare primary care clinics to receive specialist care such as scans, surgery and recovery all in one place. StarMed is on the panel for most Integrated Shield Plan and selected corporate insurance providers in Singapore. For example, StarMed is a specialist healthcare and day surgery partner on Prudential Singapore's hospital partnership programme - PRUPanel Connect."HMI Group's mission has always been to provide quality and accessible healthcare. With our Singapore expansion plans, we are looking forward to serving more people closer to their homes in the heartlands," Ms. Chin said.About Health Management International Pte LtdHealth Management International Pte Ltd ("HMI" or the "Group") is a growing regional private healthcare provider with presence in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Group owns and operates two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia. In Singapore, the Group owns and operates a healthcare training centre, a primary care clinic chain with 25 locations, and Singapore's first private one-stop ambulatory care centre. The Group also has a network of representative offices in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.Established in 1994, Mahkota Medical Centre ("Mahkota") is HMI's flagship hospital located in the heart of Malacca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular destination for medical care and leisure. The 340-bed hospital is the largest private tertiary hospital in South Malaysia, offering a comprehensive suite of healthcare services and the first and only hospital in Malacca to offer nuclear medicine and kidney transplant services. It is also a leader in Malaysia medical tourism, serving close to 100,000 international patients per year and named the "Malaysia Medical Tourism Hospital of the Year" by Frost & Sullivan in 2015 and 2016.The Group's second hospital, Regency Specialist Hospital ("Regency") was launched in 2009 and is one of the fastest growing private tertiary hospitals in Malaysia. Strategically located within the fast developing and vibrant Iskandar Malaysia, the special economic zone in the state of Johor, the 218- bed Regency is easily accessible via land, sea or air from Singapore, Indonesia and the region. Regency is in the midst of building a major hospital extension block to increase capacity up to 500 beds. It is the only private hospital in Malaysia with a 24-hour Emergency & Trauma Centre, providing round the clock specialist attention and medical care to both local and international patients.The Group holds a majority stake in StarMed Specialist Centre ("StarMed"), a one-stop day-surgery and multidisciplinary medical centre that offers quality clinical services at competitive private sector prices. The Group also holds a majority stake in OneCare Medical, fast-growing primary care clinic chain with 25 clinics across Singapore.HMI's healthcare training centre, the HMI Institute of Health Sciences, is a Skills Future Singapore accredited Continuing Education and Training Centre for the healthcare support sector. It has trained more than 4,500 healthcare professionals and 160,000 individuals in emergency life-saving skills to date.For more information, please refer to www.hmi.com.sg.About OneCare MedicalEstablished in 2013, OneCare Medical ("OneCare") is a fast-growing primary care clinic chain with 25 clinics across Singapore. OneCare offers a full range of primary care services, health screening and medical examinations for its patients. OneCare remains committed in delivering Affordable, Accessible and Quality healthcare for all patients.OneCare was named the 7th fastest growing company on the Straits Times' list of Singapore's Fastest Growing Companies in 2019. The Straits Times and Statista recognised OneCare as the 2nd fastest growing company in the healthcare sector in Singapore, and was the 158th fastest growing company in Asia-Pacific in 2020. It was also awarded the Most Trusted Preventative Healthcare Services provider 2021 by APAC Insider, recognising OneCare's ongoing commitment to bring affordable, accessible and quality primary care.For more information, please refer to www.onecaremedical.com.sg.About StarMed Specialist CentreEstablished in 2018, StarMed Specialist Centre ("StarMed") is Singapore's first private one-stop private ambulatory care centre. StarMed comprises of GP and health screening services, specialist clinics, operating theatres, endoscopy suites and radiology facilities. With more than 40 experienced doctors, StarMed's specialties include cardiology, gastroenterology, general surgery, orthopaedics, ENT, paediatrics, radiology and urology. The centre is conveniently situated above Farrer Park MRT station and co-located with the 300-room Holiday Inn Singapore Little India.For more information, please refer to www.starmedspecialist.com/Contact:Chi-an Chang, Director, Financial PR Chi-an@FinancialPR.com.sg Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Male dance instructor allegedly molested 2 boys in different primary schools

SINGAPORE - A male dance instructor allegedly molested two 10-year-old boys in different primary schools on separate occasions. The Singaporean man, now 41, is accused of five counts of molestation committed between 2016 and last year. He allegedly targeted one boy twice and the other child three times. The man's identity, as well as details about the schools and the boys, cannot be disclosed because of a gag order. Responding to queries from The Straits Times on Monday (Nov 8), the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that the man has since been deregistered from its registry of instructors and is no longer engaged by any school. Its spokesman said: "MOE is committed to providing a safe learning environment for students. "MOE takes a serious view of instructors whose conduct compromises the safety and well-being of our students and will not hesitate to take firm action against them, including immediate termination of their services and permanent debarment from providing their services in schools." The man is said to have molested one of the boys twice in a primary school in 2016. He is accused of molesting the second child in another primary school in 2019 and last year. On Feb 3 last year, the man allegedly targeted this second boy in a school bus travelling from the school. He is expected to plead guilty to his offences on Dec 13. For each count of molesting a child below 14, an offender can be jailed for up to five years and fined or caned. More on this topic   Related Story 4 years' jail for man who molested young boys on public buses   Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories

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What parents need to know before in-person classes in primary school start from Oct 11

SINGAPORE - Primary 1 to 6 pupils will start resuming in-person classes from Monday (Oct 11), while exams for Primary 3 and 4 pupils will be cancelled, said the Ministry of Education (MOE). The Straits Times takes a closer look at what primary school pupils and parents need to know before classes resume. 1. Resumption of face-to-face classes in phases From Monday, Primary 3 to 6 pupils will return to school. The phased return will ensure that safe management measures are implemented effectively as pupils return to school, said MOE. Primary 1 and 2 pupils will continue home-based learning on Monday and Tuesday. They will return for face-to-face lessons only from Wednesday (Oct 13). Those from special education schools will be given more details on the phased resumption. MOE said it had earlier put in place home-based learning from Sept 27 to Oct 8 to reduce any disruption to the cohort taking the PSLE and as an extra precautionary measure. Co-curricular activities and other after-school activities will remain suspended for all levels, including secondary schools, Junior Colleges and Millennia Institute. 2. Mandatory self-testing before return to school Parents of Primary 1 to 5 pupils are to give their children an Antigen Rapid Test (ART) swab on either Friday or Saturday before to returning to school. They will need to report the results via a link that will be sent to them. Previously, MOE had encouraged Primary 1 to 5 pupils to take an ART test on either Monday or Tuesday to allow for sufficient time to take a polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) if needed. MOE said Primary 6 pupils were already back in schools earlier to sit the PSLE between Sept 30 and Wednesday. 3. Cancellation of year-end exams for Primary 3 and 4 pupils These pupils will not need to take exams given the disruptions to their studies wrought about by Covid-19, said MOE. MOE said schools will be able to draw on information from a range of school-based assessments conducted throughout the year to assess the progress made by students. They will also be used to provide feedback and make recommendations on students' subject combination such as whether to offer the standard or foundation level for some subjects from the start of Primary 5. MOE said the year-end exams for Primary 5 pupils will still proceed under strict safe management measures. This will help get a handle on the child's learning progress in relation to the Achievement Level scoring system used for the Primary School Leaving Examination, it added. Under the new scoring system announced in 2016, each standard-level PSLE subject will be scored using eight bands. This was first implemented for those sitting the PSLE this year. More on this topic   Related Story No year-end exams for Pri 3 and 4 pupils due to Covid-19; classes to resume progressively from Oct 11   Related Story 99.5 per cent of Primary 6 pupils sat PSLE, including some on quarantine orders: Exam board 4. No school for primary school pupils from Oct 18 to Oct 22 The PSLE Marking Exercise will take place over four days from Oct 18 to Oct 21. It is normal practice for primary school students to not report to school during this period of marking, and there will be no home-based learning conducted. MOE said for this "exceptional year", the day after the PSLE Marking Exercise on Oct 22, will be a school holiday for primary schools. All primary school students will return to school from Oct 25. Meanwhile, those from special education schools will continue to report to school from Oct 18 to Oct 22 - the usual practice for the PSLE Marking Exercise. 5. Resumption of classes at tuition centres and private education institutions With the return of students to primary schools, lessons for students aged 12 and under at tuition and enrichment centres can resume face-to-face from Monday, with strict safe management measures in place. However, MOE said it encourages centres to continue conducting classes online as far as possible. Face-to-face classes for pupils aged 12 and below in private education institutions can also resume from Monday, with an eye on all prevailing national guidelines. Centres with similar student profiles and that conduct similar activities to schools are strongly advised to take reference from measures in schools, and adopt them if possible. This includes the return of pupils in phases, and self-testing of pupils before returning to school. They can also continue to implement home-based learning for their pupil.

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Year-end exams cancelled for Pri 3 and 4 pupils; classes to resume progressively from Oct 11: MOE

SINGAPORE - Year-end examinations for Primary 3 and 4 pupils will be cancelled, in an unprecedented move by the Education Ministry amid rising Covid-19 infections in the community. But face-to-face classes for Primary 3 to 6 pupils will resume from next Monday (Oct 11), followed by Primary 1 and 2 pupils next Wednesday (Oct 13), said the Ministry of Education (MOE). In a statement on Thursday, the ministry said the decision to cancel exams will "allow more time for curriculum recovery due to disruptions brought about by Covid-19". This is the first time that exams have been cancelled since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year. The Straits Times understands that about 70,000 pupils will be affected. Primary 5 year-end examinations will continue under safe management measures, said MOE. This will allow both pupils and parents to get a better understanding of the pupil's learning progress in relation to the Achievement Level scoring system - first implemented this year - prior to taking the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). Primary 1 and 2 pupils do not sit year-end examinations. Meanwhile, in-person lessons for primary schools will progressively start from next Monday. Those from special education schools will be provided with more details on the phased return of students, said MOE.     Since Sept 27, Primary 1 to 5 pupils, as well as those from special education schools, have been placed on home-based learning (HBL), to minimise the risk of school-based transmission and protect those under the age of 12, who are currently not eligible for vaccination. This is also to reduce any possible disruption to the cohort taking PSLE, said MOE. Other details provided by MOE include: - Oct 22, which is the day after the PSLE marking exercise, will be declared a school holiday. This means that pupils will not need to report to school from Oct 18 to Oct 22, and there will be no HBL. This will not apply to pupils from special education schools. - Parents of Primary 1 to 5 students will be required to do an Antigen Rapid Test (ART) on their children at home on Friday or Saturday (Oct 8 or 9) prior to returning to school. They will need to report these results via a link that will be sent to them. - Since exams for Primary 3 and 4 pupils are cancelled, schools will draw on information from a range of school-based assessments that were conducted throughout the year to report on the pupil's learning progress and provide feedback, as well as make recommendations on their subject combination. Schools, for instance, will help children decide whether to offer Standard or Foundation level for specific subjects from the start of Primary 5. - In tandem with the resumption of in-person classes in primary schools, face-to-face lessons for pupils aged 12 and below at tuition, enrichment centres and private education institutions may resume from next Monday. However, the ministry encouraged tuition and enrichment centres to continue conducting these classes online as much as possible. - Private education institutions with similar student profiles and that conduct similar activities to primary schools are strongly advised to take reference from measures for schools, and adopt them where possible. "This includes phasing the return of students, and self-testing of students prior to returning to school," said the ministry, adding that these institutions may also continue to implement HBL for their students where feasible. - Co-curricular activities and other after-school activities will continue to be suspended for all levels, including secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute. More on this topic   Related Story What parents need to know before in-person classes in primary school start from Oct 11   Related Story 99.5 per cent of Primary 6 pupils sat PSLE, including some on quarantine orders: Exam board

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All 8 cases from Covid-19 cluster at madrasah in Braddell Road from the same Primary 4 class

SINGAPORE - All eight cases of Covid-19 at the Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah in Braddell Road involved pupils from the same Primary 4 class. The cluster was reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday (Sept 7). The first two cases were detected last Friday (Sept 3) and the pupils were last in school on Sept 1. They were well when they attended, said the school in a Facebook statement on Wednesday morning. Teachers and classmates of the affected pupils were placed under a quarantine order by MOH. Since then, another six pupils from the class have tested positive, bringing the cluster to a total of eight. All Primary 4 pupils in the school have been placed on leave of absence. All physical activities in the school have ceased, including supplementary classes for Primary 6 pupils, which are now online. Primary 1 to Primary 5 students will also have home-based learning (HBL) when the new term begins on Sept 13. Primary 6 pupils will be allowed to return to school after the holidays to prepare for their Primary School Leaving Examination. Classrooms will be thoroughly disinfected to facilitate the return of the students. The school has said it is prepared to conduct HBL for the Primary 6 students as well if there is a need for that. Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah said that rigorous cleaning and disinfection were already being done at the school. Safe distancing and safe management measures were also in full compliance of guidelines provided by MOH and the Ministry of Education, it said. More on this topic   Related Story 2,000 new daily infections in a month's time if current rate of spread continues   Related Story S'pore cannot rely solely on vaccines to fight Covid-19 Delta variant, says NCID director   Related Stories:  Related Story S'pore's new measures to control spread of Covid-19: What you need to know Related Story S'pore's Covid-19 fight: No good options going forward, so it is a matter of choosing the least bad one Related Story S'pore to maintain current Covid-19 measures, will rely on vaccination and testing to move ahead Related Story How governments around the world are keeping up with shifting Covid-19 vaccination goals Related Story Lingering kidney problems pose another hidden Covid-19 risk Related Story New Covid-19 variant of interest, Mu, unlikely to overtake Delta: Experts Related Story In Indonesia, drone deliveries provide lifeline for isolating Covid-19 patients Related Story A look at what we know about Japan's contaminated Moderna Covid-19 vaccines Related Story S'porean with breakthrough Covid-19 infection lost his sense of taste and smell Related Story Zero-Covid-19 strategy: Does the approach still work with rise of Delta variant?

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Male teacher allegedly molested boy multiple times in Singapore primary school

SINGAPORE - A primary school teacher appeared in a district court on Friday (July 9), accused of molesting a boy at his workplace multiple times in 2017 and 2018. The 42-year-old Singaporean was handed five molestation charges in total. Details about the teacher, the boy and the school cannot be revealed because of a gag order. In a statement to The Straits Times, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said the man has been suspended from duty since November 2018 when the police investigation started. He is said to have first targeted the boy, who was then around 10 to 11 years old, in the school some time in late 2017. According to court documents, the man allegedly touched the child's private parts over his shorts. He is accused of committing a similar act on the boy four more times between March and October 2018. The ministry added in its statement: "MOE takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service." The man was offered bail of $15,000 on Friday and his case has been adjourned to Aug 5. For each count of molesting a child below 14 years old, an offender can be jailed for up to five years, fined or caned, or given any combination of such punishments. More on this topic   Related Story S'pore teacher, 38, jailed 8 months for performing indecent acts on 14-year-old girl   Related Story Jail, caning for man who molested boy in primary school

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Pri 1 registration: Phase for kids of alumni and school advisory board members to open on July 7

SINGAPORE - The next phase of Singapore's Primary 1 registration exercise will open at 9am and end at 4.30pm on Wednesday (July 7). Phase 2A(1) is reserved for children whose parents are alumni or members of the school's advisory board. There is likely to be some balloting at this stage - which happens when a school receives more applications than there are available places. Last year, four popular schools held ballots for this phase - CHIJ St Nicholas Girls', Nan Hua Primary, Rosyth and Pei Hwa Presbyterian. The Ministry of Education (MOE) will release the results by SMS on July 13. Like last year, the registration exercise this year is fully online due to the Covid-19 situation. For phase 2A(1), parents can find the registration form at the MOE website. This is the second phase of this year's exercise. Phase one - which is reserved for children who have older siblings already enrolled in the school - was held from June 30 to last Thursday. It saw seven primary schools fill more than half their available Primary 1 places. Of the 181 primary schools, 50 have filled at least 40 per cent of their vacancies. The primary school with the most applications in that phase was Horizon Primary in Punggol, with 138 of its 240 Primary 1 slots - 57.5 per cent - filled. However, vacancies have not filled up as quickly as last year - when 70 schools had at least 40 per cent of their slots filled after phase one. There are seven phases in total and the exercise will run until October. More on this topic   Related Story P1 registration: Are you likely to face balloting at the school of your choice?   Related Story Primary 1 registration guide: What parents need to know for online exercise

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Primary 1 registration for 2022 will open on June 30, be online for second year in view of Covid-19

SINGAPORE - Primary 1 registration for next year will open on June 30, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Thursday (May 20). This year's exercise will not be affected by the ongoing review of the Primary 1 registration framework, which was raised in Parliament during the Budget debate in March. The ministry is reviewing the framework to see how it can increase the number of places set aside under Phase 2C - the open phase for those who do not enjoy any form of priority admission, and is based on home-to-school distance. For the second year in a row, registration will be online in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Parents can register through two modes of registration depending on which phase their child is in. For parents registering their child under Phase 1 - which allows parents to register their younger child at the school where an older child is currently studying - the school will provide parents with more details on how to register their younger child during the registration period using an online application form. For Phases 2A(1), 2A(2) and 2B, the link to the online application form and user guide will be available on the MOE Primary 1 registration website, as well as the periods when the registration opens for these phases. Phase 2A(1) is for parents who are alumni or who are members of the advisory or management committee of the school. This phase takes place on July 7 from 9am to 4.30pm and its results will be out on July 13. Phase 2A (2) applies to children whose siblings previously studied in the school of their choice or are studying in an MOE kindergarten located in that school. Parents who are staff of the school or are alumni can also apply under this phase. It will run from 9am on July 14 to 4.30pm on July 15. Successful applicants will be notified on July 23. Parent volunteers who joined no later than July 1 last year with at least 40 hours of service by June 30 or those registered with clan or church groups connected, among others, can register during Phase 2B. This phase takes place from 9am on July 26 to 4.30pm on July 27. The result will be released on Aug 2. For Phases 2C and 2C Supplementary, parents who did not or could not apply in the earlier phases will have to register on the Primary 1 Internet System (P1-IS) and they can refer to this website (https://www.moe.gov.sg/primary/p1-registration/how-to-register?pt=2C) for more information to register. The two phases begin in August. MOE reiterated that parents should choose a school suitable to their child's learning needs and interest. Under the Compulsory Education Act, Singapore citizens born after Jan 1, 1996, and residing in the country are required to attend national primary schools, including government-funded Special Education (Sped) schools. Those born between Jan 2, 2015, and Jan 1, 2016, must either participate in this year's Primary 1 registration exercise for admission next January or enrol in the Junior 1/Primary 1 programme of a Sped school. International pupils will continue to register under Phase 3 after all Singaporeans and permanent residents have been allocated a place under the earlier phases. Those who wish to do so must undergo a two-step process that involves submitting an online form on the MOE Primary 1 website from June 1 to June 7. They will not be able to register during Phase 3 if they do not do so by June 7. MOE will notify international pupil applicants in October whether they have been offered a place via e-mail. Meanwhile, infrastructure upgrading plans for two primary schools have been put on hold or delayed. Bukit View Primary School will continue operating at its current location at 18 Bukit Batok Street 21. It was scheduled to move to a holding site from January while its permanent campus undergoes upgrading. As MOE is further reviewing the project, the upgrading plan has been put on hold and the school will not move yet. St. Margaret's Primary School will also continue to operate from its current holding site in Mattar Road. As there is a delay in the upgrading project of its permanent site, the school will continue to operate from where it is currently located for another year until December 2023, said MOE. As both the online application form and Primary 1-IS registration requires Singpass, parents are advised to set up their Singpass 2-Step Verification early and ensure that their Singpass account is valid before the commencement of the Primary 1 registration exercise. Those who need further help may contact their school of choice using e-mail or telephone on the respective registration days between 9am and 4.30pm. Links to the online forms, user guides, declaration process and eligibility criteria can be found at https://www.moe.gov.sg/primary/p1-registration From Thursday, parents of prospective Primary 1 pupils will also be able to download and register for MOE's Parents Gateway app on their mobile devices using their Singpass account. The app notifies parents about updates and information on the Primary 1 registration exercise process and requirements. It will also inform them about administrative tasks before the start of school such as Primary 1 orientation dates, purchase of school uniforms and book supplies.

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Some students have trouble accessing online portal on first day of home-based learning

SINGAPORE - Some students were unable to access the Student Learning Space portal used for home-based learning Wednesday morning (May 19), on the first day of classes moving online. In a statement, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said it is "aware of the slowdown of the Student Learning Space this morning", as all primary, secondary, junior colleges and Millennia Institute moved into full Home Based Learning. "We immediately activated additional system resources and as at 9.30 am, teachers have reported that the system is back on track," it said. All primary, secondary and junior college students, as well as those from Millennia Institute and special education schools, have begun full home-based learning which will last till May 28 when the school term ends, after a spike in Covid-19 cases in the community. MOE said its team is actively monitoring the system's performance and working on the issues, so as to minimise disruptions for the teachers and students. "We apologise to everyone who was affected this morning," it said. Parents told The Straits Times their children were having trouble with accessing parts of the website after logging in. Parent Yeo Sha-En, who has two daughters aged seven and 12 studying at CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School, said her younger daughter managed to log in at 8am ahead of her lesson, but at 8.20am the portal became laggy when more people logged on. Ms Yeo, 39, said the problems persisted till about 9am for her Primary 1 daughter, who could not access her lessons. "We did work that could be done offline instead like handwriting worksheets," she said. Her older daughter, who is in Primary 6, could access the section that provided links to a Zoom call with her teacher. Other parents also complained about the issues with the portal on online chat groups, said Ms Yeo, founder of Happiness Scientists, which conducts programmes and talks on positive psychology. Mr Leonard Ng's two sons - aged seven and nine - could not get on the portal to do their work. "The kids were not able to log on and I could see the parent chat groups flooding with texts about whether anyone was able to get through," the 39-year-old said. More on this topic   Related Story Full home-based learning to start on May 19 to give schools time to prepare   Related Story Parents, tutors supportive of move to online classes Both boys - in Primary 1 and 3 at St Gabriel's Primary School - tried to get online at 9am. Mr Ng's older son managed to log on several times, but was met with a time-out page on some sections. He finally logged on at about 9.20am, while his younger brother got on at 9.45am. "We just kept trying to refresh the page, because we didn't know when we would get through," said Mr Ng, a counsellor with a social service agency. The Student Learning Space had also experienced similar issues when hundreds of thousands of students tried to log in for home-based learning in April last year. MOE said then that it resolved the issue quickly to better manage the rise in user numbers, and added  it would ensure the system remained accessible throughout the full home-based learning period during circuit breaker. ST has contacted MOE for more information about Wednesday’s incident. More on this topic   Related Story 7 ways to thrive under home-based learning

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43 schools to get new principals in 2021, including 9 from MOE headquarters

SINGAPORE - An annual reshuffle of principals will see 43 schools next year with new leaders, including nine from the Ministry of Education (MOE) headquarters. It is the highest number of officers to be moved from the headquarters to head schools in recent years, according to checks by The Straits Times. The number of such transfers ranged from three to seven in the past five years. Mr Melvin Cher Teck Yiang, deputy director of MOE's pre-school education branch in the schools division, will become principal of Northoaks Primary School. The 42-year-old said that being familiar with policy work will come in handy in his new and first appointment as principal. "I have a better sense of how policies are made and I think this will help in communicating changes to school staff," he added. He will also continue to be involved in pre-school matters to some extent, as Northoaks Primary houses an MOE kindergarten. "I will work with the pre-school teachers and support them in running the centre," he said, adding that he hopes to get a chance to try out ideas that could help ease the transition of pre-school children into primary school. "We have a lot to learn from how pre-school environments are set up and some of their teaching approaches - some of these can be applied to Primary 1 and Primary 2 classes in particular," said Mr Cher. "For instance, a pre-school classroom is very vibrant; we want children to feel welcome and engaged. There's a lot of emphasis on experiential learning and getting children to be curious about the world around them, and to ask questions," he said. "These are good habits and dispositions for learning that apply to primary school children." In a statement on Friday (Oct 16), MOE said that the process of appointing and rotating principals allows schools to benefit from new perspectives. More on this topic   Related Story Coronavirus: More CCAs allowed to resume, SYF and National School Games to resume from 2021   Related Story MOE to build on making education a social leveller amid coronavirus pandemic, says Lawrence Wong Experienced principals can also share best practices across schools, it added. As part of the reshuffle, St Andrew's Secondary School and Guangyang Primary School will be among 23 schools to have first-time principals. The new school leaders include Mr Cher and Madam Foo Boon Ching, who will head Yangzheng Primary School. She is currently vice-principal of Pei Tong Primary School. Among the officers from MOE headquarters making the move is Mr Tham Kine Thong, the director of MOE's school operations policy in its schools division. He will be heading St Andrew's Junior College. Madam Yvonne Teo, deputy director of assessment policy and practice in MOE's curriculum policy officer, will move on to lead Bedok View Secondary School. In its release, the MOE said: "For the 23 newly-appointed principals, this is an important career milestone as they assume greater responsibilities as leaders in education. "For the 20 current principals and headquarter officers who will be assuming new principalship appointments, it is an affirmation of MOE's confidence in their abilities to continue leading and guiding our teachers, staff and students in schools." The 43 new principals will receive their letters of appointment from MOE's director-general of education Wong Siew Hoong at a ceremony in December, which will be attended by Education Minister Lawrence Wong. At the ceremony, the MOE will also acknowledge the contributions of retiring principals and senior education officers from its headquarters who have formerly served as principals.

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