Singapore Triggers Covid-19 Circuit Breaker
Following Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s national address at 4pm on Friday, 3 April 2020, Singapore will trigger Covid-19 Circuit Breaker as part of the stepped-up measures to reduce the risk of further local transmission. With guidance from your economics tutor Singapore in economics tuition Singapore, gauge the economic impact of the government’s latest measures. You may sign up for economics tuition Singapore with a reputable economics tutor Singapore should you need help with the subject.
Schools To Shift To Full Home-based Learning
All primary schools, secondary schools, junior colleges and tertiary institutions will shift to full home-based learning from 8 April 2020. Pre-schools and student care centres will also be closed. However, pre-schools and student care centres will continue to provide limited services for children whose parents are working in essential business sectors and are unable to make alternative arrangements. Prior to this move to close all schools, the government had ordered for closure of all tuition and enrichment centres. Economics Cafe Learning Centre, the best economics tuition centre in Singapore has shifted its economics tuition classes online.
With the schools closed, mid-year examinations will be cancelled, except for the mid-year GCE O-Level and A-Level Mother Tongue Language examinations. Year-end examinations and Primary School Leaving Examinations will proceed as scheduled. It remains to be seen if the home-based learning can be conducted effectively by the school teachers. This may lead to a surge in demand for online economics tuition Singapore. Edmund Quek, the best economics tutor Singapore was among the first to shift his classroom-based economics tuition Singapore to online economics tuition via zoom.
Non-Essential Workplace Premises To Be Closed
Despite the fact that many firms have implemented working from home arrangements or telecommuting wherever possible, number of local transmission cases continued to rise in the past week. To further reduce the number of workers travelling for work, the government has ordered for all workplace premises to be closed for one month from 7 April to 4 May 2020. In consultation with your economics tutor Singapore in your economics tuition Singapore class, discuss the possible social implications of a month-long suspension of all non-essential businesses that are unable to conduct telecommuting.
Exceptions are given to those essential services providers. They include among others, supermarkets, delivery services, food suppliers, energy suppliers, health and social services, as well as transportation and storage services. For these essential service providers to remain open, they are required to operate with minimum number of staff and implement strict safe distancing measures at work, to minimize social interactions among workers. These workplaces will also be suspended operation in case any staff member is infected. You may discuss with your economics tutor Singapore in economics tuition Singapore the purpose to keep these essential services providers operational.
Interestingly, hairdressing and barber services are also categorised as essential services, though services they could provide are limited to the provision of basic haircut only. In addition, shops providing retail and repair of consumer electronics, IT peripherals and household appliances as well as hardware stores are also allowed to remain open. In discussion with your economics tutor Singapore in your economics tuition Singapore class, explain the importance to keep these businesses operational.
Businesses are allowed to apply for exemption and remain open while waiting for the application result. Non-essential businesses must stop operations at their workplaces and only perform work by telecommuting from home. Employees who are unable to telecommute from home may suffer financial losses in the forms of pay cut or totally no pay during the business suspension period. You may consult your economics tutor Singapore in economics tuition Singapore its impact on people’s livelihood.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Heat is set to announce additional government support for businesses and local Singaporeans on Monday, 6 April 2020. Prior to this, he already announced that the government would further increase the subsidy under Jobs Support Scheme. However, only local workers are covered under this scheme.
Linda Geng
Economics Tuition Singapore @ Economics Cafe
Principal Economics Tutor: Mr. Edmund Quek