Interview with Lian He Zhao Bao: On parents signing their children up for online extra-curricular activities to complement home-based learning during COVID lockdown

Arti­cle Pub­lished On: 4 May 2020

The COVID-19 pan­dem­ic was at its peak in 2020. To curb the spread of infec­tion, com­pa­nies ordered that employ­ees to work from home and schools in Sin­ga­pore switched to home­based learn­ing. To ensure their chil­dren keeps pace with the aca­d­e­m­ic demands in Sin­ga­pore, many par­ents scram­bled to sign their chil­dren up for enrich­ment class­es.   

Think Teach Acad­e­my was the cen­tre of choice for many. When inter­viewed by Lian He Zhao Bao, our Pri­ma­ry School direc­tor Jere­my Say, revealed that enrol­ment was up 30% when com­pared to the year before. The suc­cess of the acad­e­my was very much due to how quick­ly it was able to adapt dur­ing this tur­bu­lent peri­od. The minute enrich­ment cen­tres were ordered to close, we piv­ot­ed and moved every sin­gle class online – to be con­duct­ed via Zoom.

Our adapt­abil­i­ty and quick response to COVID-19 restric­tions gave par­ents in Sin­ga­pore much relief. They were able to occu­py their children’s time while they con­cen­trat­ed on their work. They were also able to ensure their chil­dren kept up with the syl­labus. It was the epit­o­me of killing two birds with one stone.