Education (Schools) Regulations 1957

Education Act 1957

(Section 61)

Education (Schools) Regulations 1957

2024 REVISED EDITION

(18 December 2024)

[3 January 1958]

PART 1

PRELIMINARY

Citation

1.  These Regulations are the Education (Schools) Regulations 1957.

Definitions

2.  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“approved plan” means the plan or diagram of the school premises submitted upon application for registration of a school and approved by the Director‑General, the Director‑General of Public Health, and the Commissioner of Civil Defence and, if the Director‑General subsequently approves a plan or diagram under these Regulations, includes the subsequent plan or diagram;

“autonomous school” means a Government school or Government‑aided school which is granted such degree of autonomy over its administration and curriculum as the Minister may determine;

“boarder” means a pupil of a boarding school for whom housing or lodging accommodation is provided;

“boarding school” means a school in connection with which hostels, dormitories or other rooms or premises are provided for the housing or lodging of some or all of the pupils of that school out of school hours, whether the hostels, dormitories or other rooms or premises are in or part of the same building or group of buildings as the classrooms or not;

“classroom” means any room in a school used for teaching purposes;

“contagious disease” means venereal disease, scabies and any other disease which the Minister by notification in the Gazette declares to be a contagious disease for the purpose of these Regulations;

“dormitory” means any room provided as sleeping accommodation for boarders;

“full-time primary school” means a school which claims to give to children of normal primary school age a complete primary education of the general type given in Government schools for such children;

“full-time secondary school” means a school which claims to give children of normal secondary school age a complete secondary education of the general type given in Government schools for such children;

“infectious disease” means any of the diseases specified in the First Schedule to the Infectious Diseases Act 1976;

“medical officer” means a medical officer of schools appointed under section 51(b) of the Act;

“qualification” means evidence of having attained a stated level of education or proficiency;

“school workshop” means any place in a school where instruction is given in the use of tools or machinery or where tools or machines are used for the repair, adjustment or manufacture of articles, or for training students for any trade or commercial occupation;

“science laboratory” means any place in a school where practical experiments or demonstrations in science subjects are carried out and includes any place where instruction is given in domestic science or homecraft;

“staff” includes the principal and all the teachers of a school;

“subscriber” means any person who agrees to subscribe regularly to the funds of a school.

Exemption

3.  The Director-General may exempt any school other than a full‑time primary or full‑time secondary school from any of these Regulations which he or she considers inapplicable.

Extent of operation

4.  No regulation which places a responsibility on or requires action from a committee of management or supervisor or managers, or which refers to subscribers, is applicable to Government schools.

PART 2

MANAGEMENT

Constitution of school

5.—(1)  The Director-General may, by notice in writing to the supervisor, require the managers of any school, within the time specified in the notice, to prepare, execute and submit to the Director‑General for the Director‑General’s approval a constitution, written scheme or deed of trust in accordance with which the school is to be managed.

(2)  Every such constitution, written scheme or deed of trust must, unless the Director‑General otherwise directs —

(a) provide for the election of managers at stated periods;

(b) define the powers and duties of the managers, specify the times and places at which meetings of the committee of management are to be held and provide for the voting and procedure at the meetings, the keeping of the minutes and records thereof and any quorum which may be required;

(c) define severally the powers and duties of the supervisor, of each of the other managers and of the principal;

(d) provide for the holding and administration of the property of the school, the collection, banking and administration of its revenue and the proper keeping and audit of its accounts; and

(e) provide for such matters in relation to the management of the school and the administration of the property and revenue of the school as the Director-General may specify in the notice.

(3)  The Director-General may require by notice in writing such alteration of any constitution, written scheme or deed of trust submitted for his or her approval as the Director‑General may think fit.

(4)  Every such constitution, written scheme or deed of trust when approved by the Director-General is binding upon the supervisor, managers and teachers of the school and must not be altered or amended without the prior approval in writing of the Director‑General.

(5)  The Director-General may subsequently require by notice to the supervisor any such constitution, written scheme or deed of trust to be altered or amended in such manner as the Director‑General may specify, and the constitution, written scheme or deed of trust must be altered or amended accordingly by the managers.

(6)  The supervisor of any school may within 14 days of the receipt of a notice under paragraph (3) or (5) appeal against the decision of the Director‑General to the Appeals Board in the manner laid down in Part 12 of the Act.

(7)  Any supervisor, manager or teacher who contravenes or fails to comply with or abets any contravention of this regulation or of the constitution, written scheme or deed of trust after its approval or of any alteration or amendment to the constitution, written scheme or deed of trust made in accordance with this regulation shall be guilty of an offence under the Act and shall be liable on conviction to the penalties prescribed in the Act.

PART 3

STAFF

Appointment and dismissal of staff

6.  The appointment and dismissal of any member of the staff of any school are to be determined by a majority vote of all members of the committee of management of that school.

Responsibilities of principal

7.  In every school there is to be appointed a fit and proper person to be the principal who is responsible for the organisation of the curriculum both in and out of the classroom, for the control of the teachers and for the maintenance of discipline of the pupils of the school whether on the school premises or off the school premises in such circumstances as to permit the pupils to be identified as pupils of the school.

Appointment of principal

8.—(1)  A person must not assume duty as principal in any school until the supervisor of the school has sought and obtained the approval of the Director-General in writing for the appointment of that person as principal.

(2)  The Director-General may in his or her discretion refuse to approve the appointment as the principal of a school of any person whom the Director-General considers unsuitable.

(3)  The Director-General may by notice in writing to the supervisor require the committee of management of any school to replace the principal if the Director-General considers that the principal is not satisfactorily carrying out the duties of his or her office.

No teacher to be appointed without Director-General’s approval

9.  A teacher must not be appointed to any school until the supervisor has informed the Director-General of the subjects that it is proposed that the teacher is to teach and the classes to which it is proposed that the teacher is to teach each subject and until the Director‑General has approved the appointment.

Director-General may refuse to approve teachers unqualified for particular work

10.  The Director-General may refuse to approve the appointment of any teacher to any school if in the opinion of the Director‑General the teacher lacks the particular qualification or kind of experience required for the work on which it is proposed to employ the teacher.

Teacher on appointment to deposit certificate of registration with supervisor

11.  A teacher must not be appointed to the staff of any school until the teacher has deposited with the supervisor of that school a certificate of registration issued to the teacher by the Director‑General in accordance with section 37 of the Act or until an authority or a permit has been issued in accordance with section 41 or 44 respectively of the Act.

Director-General to endorse and return teacher’s certificate of registration and forward duplicate to supervisor

12.  When a registered teacher is appointed to the staff of a school, the supervisor of the school must immediately forward the teacher’s certificate of registration to the Director‑General. On receiving it, the Director‑General must endorse the certificate with the date of the appointment and return it to the teacher at the teacher’s last known address. A duplicate of the certificate bearing all endorsements made upon the original must then be sent to the supervisor and must remain in the supervisor’s possession throughout the period of the teacher’s employment.

Letters of appointment

13.  The supervisor is responsible for issuing to every teacher engaged to teach in the school a letter of appointment which must set out —

(a) the conditions of service;

(b) the salary scale; and

(c) the conditions upon which the appointment may be terminated.

Payment of salaries

14.  The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the salaries of all teachers are paid in full when due.

Supervisor to inform Director-General of termination of a teacher’s services and to forward duplicate of certificate of registration or authority to teach. Director-General to endorse certificate of registration

15.—(1)  On the termination of the appointment of any teacher, the supervisor of the school must immediately inform the Director‑General and forward to the Director‑General the duplicate of the certificate of registration if the teacher is a registered teacher or the authority or permit to teach if the teacher is not a registered teacher.

(2)  On receipt of the duplicate of the certificate of registration, the Director‑General must endorse it with the date of the termination of appointment and must retain it until the teacher with respect to whom it has been issued is appointed to another school.

PART 4

MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF TEACHERS

Minimum qualifications for registration as teacher

16.  The minimum qualifications for registration as a teacher are —

(a) where the medium is English — the Cambridge Overseas ‘O’ level School Certificate with a pass in oral English or such other qualifications as the Director‑General may consider its equivalent;

(b) where the medium is Chinese — the Certificate of the Government Senior Middle III Examination or Government Senior Normal Examination or such other qualifications as the Director‑General may consider their equivalent;

(c) where the medium is Malay — either the Malaya Certificate of Education with passes in Malay language and Malay literature or the Cambridge School Certificate with a credit in Malay, or the Certificate of the Sultan Idris Training College or, of the Malay Women’s Training College Malacca or the Certificate known as “Trained Under Other Schemes (T.U.O.S.)”, or the Standard VII Certificate in Malay of a Malay School in Singapore or Malaysia or such other qualifications as the Director‑General may consider their equivalent; and

(d) where the medium is Tamil — either the Malaya Certificate of Education with passes in Tamil language and Tamil literature or a Cambridge School Certificate with a credit in Tamil or the Indian Secondary School Leaving Certificate (Tamil) or the Certificate known as “Trained Under Other Schemes (T.U.O.S.)”, or the Standard VII Certificate of a Tamil School in Singapore or Malaysia or such other qualifications as the Director‑General may consider their equivalent:

Provided that the Director-General may at his or her discretion require such additional qualifications as he or she considers necessary for the teaching of a particular subject in a particular school.

PART 5

REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS

Plan to be approved by Director-General, medical officer and Commissioner of Civil Defence

17.  A building must not be approved for use as a school or as an extension or part of a school unless a plan or diagram with the dimensions of the building has been submitted to the Director‑General and approved by the Director‑General, by a medical officer and by the Commissioner of Civil Defence.

No structural alteration without approval of Director-General

18.—(1)  Except with the written approval of the Director‑General, a material or structural alteration must not be made to the school premises shown in the approved plan.

(2)  When any such alterations have been approved by the Director‑General, the supervisor must submit new plans or diagrams of the school premises in which the alterations must be shown.

Exits from schools

19.—(1)  Every school building must have at least 2 independent means of exit.

(2)  Every storey of a school building which accommodates more than 20 pupils must have 2 staircases of adequate width.

(3)  The Director-General may at his or her discretion require the enlargement of the existing means of exit or the provision of additional means of exit or additional staircases in a school building.

Proportion of external openings to floor space

20.  The total area of the windows and other external openings in every classroom must be at least one-fifth of the floor space of the room.

Height of ceilings

21.  Except with the permission of a medical officer, the height of the ceiling from the floor in any classroom must be at least 3.4 metres.

Each classroom to have 2 doors

22.  Each classroom must be provided with at least 2 doors.

Director-General may require alterations

23.  Despite any previous approval, the Director‑General may require any alterations or improvements in the premises of a school which he or she may consider necessary in the interests of the safety or the health of the pupils and teachers.

PART 6

ROOF-PLAYGROUNDS

Director-General’s consent required

24.  A roof, verandah or balcony must not be used for physical education or recreational purposes for pupils without the written approval of the Director-General.

Certificate of stability required

25.  A roof, verandah or balcony is not suitable for use as a playground unless a certificate of stability has been given by an architect or structural engineer that the roof is suitable for such use. The certificate must specify the maximum number of pupils who may be allowed to use the playground at any one time.

Certificate of Inspector of Schools to be exhibited

26.  A certificate by an Inspector of Schools that he or she has examined the architect’s or structural engineer’s certificate stating the maximum number of pupils allowed upon any approved roof‑playground, verandah or balcony must be exhibited in a conspicuous place on the school premises.

Protective barriers

27.  The supervisor of any school must upon notice in writing from the Director‑General cause to be erected such fencing or other protective barriers as are specified in the notice.

Supervision of children

28.—(1)  A pupil must not be allowed on any roof‑playground, verandah or balcony unless under the direct supervision of a teacher.

(2)  There must not be more than 60 pupils on any roof‑playground under the charge of one teacher at any one time.

Director-General may prohibit use

29.  If any roof-playground, verandah or balcony is used in contravention of these Regulations, the Director‑General may by notice in writing addressed to the supervisor prohibit its use until such time as the Director-General may specify in the notice.

PART 7

CLASSROOM ACCOMMODATION AND EQUIPMENT

Identification notice

30.  At the entrance of every classroom there must be prominently affixed a board or other form of notice bearing an identification number or letter for the room. This number or letter must correspond to the number or letter on the approved plan.

Maximum accommodation

31.  Subject to regulation 33, the maximum number of pupils who may be accommodated in any classroom or room used as such must be reckoned on the basis of 1.3 square metres of floor space per pupil.

Accommodation certificate

32.  In every classroom or room used as such, there must be displayed a certificate signed by the Director-General or an officer authorised under section 5 of the Act specifying the maximum number of persons to be accommodated in that room at any one time. No person other than the Director-General or the officer may remove, deface, cancel or alter the certificate.

Maximum size of class

33.—(1)  Except as the Director-General may otherwise permit, not more than 40 pupils are to be taught at one time by one teacher.

(2)  The Director-General may further restrict the number of pupils taught at one time by one teacher if the Director‑General considers that the restriction is desirable for the type of instruction given.

Attendance register

34.  A separate attendance register for each classroom must be kept in a form to be approved by the Director-General.

Use of classroom

35.  No person other than those directly concerned with the teaching, supervision or inspection of the school may remain in any classroom during working hours.

Desks and seats

36.—(1)  The supervisor must submit for the approval of the Director‑General a pattern of any desks or seats to be provided for the use of the pupils, and the supervisor must also, if so required in writing, substitute desks and seats of an approved type for those already in use.

(2)  Unless the Director-General otherwise directs, the supervisor must cause the desks and seats to be so arranged that the light falls from the pupils’ left.

(3)  Except as may arise from the grouping of pupils around tables, a pupil must not be seated so as to face a window or other external opening facing the open sky or through which light is reflected from a bright surface.

Chalkboards

37.—(1)  Each classroom must be provided with a chalkboard or chalkboards having a matt surface and coloured black or green.

(2)  The Director-General may, by notice in writing, require the supervisor of any school to cause to be replaced or resurfaced any chalkboard which in the opinion of the Director‑General requires to be so replaced or resurfaced.

Other equipment

38.  The supervisor of every school must cause to be provided such other equipment as the Director-General may consider necessary for the type of instruction which it is intended to provide in the school:

Provided that the Director-General must not require to be provided any articles of equipment which are not normal articles of equipment for providing the same sort of instruction in Government schools.

Artificial lighting

39.  Every classroom must, at all times when it is in use, be sufficiently lighted. Artificial lighting needed to supplement daylight in any classroom or to light any classroom used in the evening must be provided to the satisfaction of the medical officer.

Partitions

40.  A cubicle or partition which obstructs the free passage of light or air must not be erected in any classroom.

PART 8

SCHOOL WORKSHOPS AND SCIENCE LABORATORIES

Safety precautions

41.—(1)  The supervisor must ensure that all necessary safety precautions are adopted in school workshops and school science laboratories and must modify or extend such precautions as the Director‑General may require.

(2)  The principal must ensure that no instruction is given in the use of tools or the operation of machines or in science experiments except by a teacher competent to give the type of instruction concerned.

Plan of layout

42.  Whenever it is desired to install any machinery or machine tools in a school workshop, the supervisor must submit to the Director‑General a plan of the proposed layout of the workshop.

Consent for installation

43.  No machinery or machine tools may be installed in a school workshop except with the written consent of the Director‑General.

Remote control switches

44.  In any school workshop in which machinery is installed there must also be installed remote control switches whereby the teacher may stop all machines.

Maintenance and suitability

45.  All machinery, machine tools, hand tools and other equipment in a school workshop or science laboratory must be suitable for the course intended and must be maintained in proper working order.

Windows of workshops

46.  Every school workshop in which power machinery is installed must contain windows on opposite sides of the workshop and the total area of the windows must be at least one-eighth of the floor space of the workshop.

Placing of machines

47.  Machines and workbenches must be in such positions as to ensure that they are adequately lighted.

Storage of poisons and dangerous chemicals

48.  All poisonous substances or dangerous chemicals must be under the charge of a responsible teacher and, except for such small quantities as are necessary at any given time for practical science experiments, must be stored in a locked room or cupboard to which no pupil has access.

Containers to be marked

49.  All poisonous substances or dangerous chemicals must be contained in suitable containers clearly marked with the name of the substance and labelled “DANGEROUS” or with some similar designation.

Teacher in laboratory to have unobstructed view of pupils

50.  Furniture and equipment in a science laboratory must be so arranged that the teacher has an unobstructed view of every pupil.

PART 9

HEALTH

Lavatories

51.—(1)  Every school must be provided with lavatories and other sanitary equipment of a type approved by a medical officer.

(2)  In schools with mixed enrolment separate lavatories must be provided for each sex with adequately screened approaches.

(3)  Lavatory accommodation in every school must be provided as follows:

(a) for boy pupils: One water-closet for every 50 pupils up to a total of 200 pupils; one water-closet for every 100 pupils in excess of 200; plus 1.8 metres of trough urinal for every 100 pupils; and

(b) for girl pupils: One water-closet for every 25 pupils up to a total of 100 pupils; one water-closet for every 30 pupils of the next 150 pupils; and one water-closet for every 50 pupils in excess of 250 pupils.

(4)  Urinals in a school must be faced to a height of 1.2 metres with tiles or such other impervious material as the medical officer may approve.

(5)  Where a water carriage system is not installed in a school, lavatories must be in a separate building at least 9 metres distant from the school building.

(6)  Except as the Director-General otherwise permits, separate lavatory accommodation must be provided for the staff in every school.

(7)  Lavatories in a school must at all times be kept in a clean and sanitary condition.

(8)  Lavatories in a school must not be used for any other purpose.

Improvements to sanitation

52.—(1)  The supervisor must carry out such alterations and improvements to the lavatories and other sanitary arrangements of a school as the Director-General may at any time require by notice in writing and within the period specified in the notice.

(2)  The improvements may at the discretion of the Director‑General include the installation of a water carriage system.

Water supply

53.—(1)  An adequate and wholesome supply of water must be provided in every school.

(2)  The supervisor must increase or improve the water supply of a school to the extent which the Director-General may at any time require by notice in writing and within the period specified in the notice.

Washing facilities

54.  All schools must be provided with washing facilities for pupils and teachers to the satisfaction of a medical officer.

Cleanliness of premises

55.—(1)  All school premises must be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition to the satisfaction of a medical officer.

(2)  The supervisor must, if so required by the Director‑General by notice in writing, cause the whole or any part of the school premises to be suitably colour-washed or repainted.

Smoking

56.  Smoking is not permitted in any classroom during school hours.

Spitting

57.  Spitting is not allowed on any part of the school premises.

Food sold on premises

58.—(1)  The supervisor must control to the satisfaction of a medical officer the preparation and sale on the school premises of food, drink or refreshment of any kind (referred to in these Regulations as food).

(2)  All persons engaged in the preparation and sale of food in school premises must take such steps as may be reasonably necessary to protect it from contamination.

(3)  Newspaper must not be used as a wrapping material for food sold on school premises except as an outer cover in addition to an inner wrapping.

(4)  Food for sale on school premises must be kept at least 46 centimetres from the ground and must be protected by fly proof covers.

(5)  Ice-cream must not be offered for sale on school premises unless it was prepared on premises licensed for the purpose.

(6)  Ice which has been kept in sawdust must not be placed in or on any food offered for sale on school premises.

Food vendors

59.—(1)  A person must not be engaged in the preparation or sale of food on school premises until he or she has been certified free of infectious or contagious diseases.

(2)  Persons so engaged must submit at least once a year to such medical examination including X-ray examination as may be required by a medical officer.

(3)  Any person so engaged who is found to be suffering from an infectious or contagious disease must be immediately excluded from the school.

(4)  All persons while so engaged must wear clean overalls or aprons.

(5)  A person while so engaged must not spit, smoke, take snuff or chew any substance.

Medical inspection of premises

60.  A medical officer or any person provided with and, if required, exhibiting the written authority of a medical officer may at any reasonable time enter and inspect the premises of any school to ascertain whether the school is being kept in a sanitary condition, and must send a copy of his or her report to the Director‑General.

Medical examination of pupils

61.—(1)  A medical officer, or any person provided with and, if required, exhibiting the written authority of a medical officer may examine in any school the person and clothing of any child attending the school:

Provided that girls over the age of 10 years must not be examined by a male person except with their consent and with the consent of the principal.

(2)  If on such examination a medical officer or any such authorised person is of the opinion that the person or clothing of any such child is infected with vermin or in a foul or filthy condition, the medical officer or the authorised person may give notice in writing to the supervisor requiring the supervisor to exclude the child from the school until such time as the person and clothing of the child have been cleansed to the satisfaction of the medical officer or the authorised person and the supervisor must exclude the pupil accordingly.

Infectious diseases to be reported

62.—(1)  The principal must ascertain the cause of absence of any pupil who is absent from school for more than one school day.

(2)  The principal must report at once to a medical officer any suspected or known case of infectious or contagious disease among teachers or pupils or when the principal knows or suspects that any of the pupils or teachers has been in contact with a case of infectious disease.

Exclusion of persons suffering from infectious disease and contacts

63.—(1)  If a medical officer or any person duly authorised certifies that any teacher or pupil should be excluded from any specified school because the teacher or pupil is suffering or has recently suffered from an infectious or contagious disease or because the teacher or pupil has been in contact with or living in the same house as a person suffering or having recently suffered from an infectious or contagious disease, the supervisor must cause that teacher or pupil to be excluded from the school for such period as the medical officer or the authorised person may consider necessary.

(2)  The Director-General may at any time require a registered teacher to present himself or herself for examination to a medical officer or to any medical practitioner approved by the Director‑General and the supervisor if required by the Director‑General must cause the teacher to be excluded from the school until the examination has taken place and until a medical officer has certified that the teacher may be permitted to return.

(3)  A supervisor, manager or teacher must not knowingly admit to the school in respect of which he or she is registered any teacher or pupil excluded from any other school under paragraphs (1) and (2) during the period of such exclusion.

(4)  If in any school there has been reported or found a case of infectious or contagious disease among the teachers, pupils or employees of that school, the Director-General may on the advice of a medical officer order the closure of that school for such period as the Director-General may consider necessary.

X-ray examination

64.  The Director-General may at any time require the pupils and teachers of a school to submit to a routine X-ray examination.

First-aid equipment

65.  A first-aid box must be maintained in an accessible place in every school and additional first-aid boxes must be maintained in or immediately adjacent to every science laboratory and workshop and at such other places as the Director-General may direct.

PART 10

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BOARDING SCHOOLS

Dormitory accommodation

66.—(1)  In every boarding school, a superficial dormitory area of at least 5 square metres must be provided for each boarder and the ceiling of every dormitory must, unless permitted by a medical officer, be at least 3.4 metres above the floor. There must be at least 1.2 metres between the edges of adjacent beds.

(2)  A dormitory must not be in a tenement-house.

(3)  In every boarding school the dormitory accommodation must be of such adequate standard and so maintained as to satisfy the reasonable requirements of the Director‑General.

Accommodation certificate

67.—(1)  In every dormitory there must be displayed a certificate duly signed by a medical officer specifying the maximum number of persons to be accommodated in that room at any one time. No person other than the Director-General or an Inspector of Schools is to remove, deface, cancel or alter the certificate.

(2)  No more than the maximum number of persons as set out in the certificate are permitted to occupy any dormitory or room used as such without the written sanction of the Director‑General.

Cleansing of dormitories

68.  Every dormitory or room used as such must be cleansed at least once every day in such manner as may be prescribed by the Director‑General.

Washing, sanitary and messing accommodation

69.  The washing and bathing facilities, the lavatory accommodation and the messing and kitchen arrangements in a boarding school must be such as to satisfy a medical officer.

Sick room

70.  Every boarding school must have a suitable room set aside for use only as a sanatorium or sick room.

Appointment of matron

71.  The managers of every boarding school must, if so required by the Director‑General in writing, appoint a matron or other suitable person to be in charge of the boarders.

Medical examination

72.—(1)  The supervisor must ensure that every boarder is medically examined every 6 months by a registered medical practitioner who must report in writing to the supervisor on the general health of the boarders and must indicate which boarders require treatment and the treatment required.

(2)  The supervisor must send a copy of every such report to the Director‑General.

PART 11

FIRE PRECAUTIONS

Fire precautions

73.  The Commissioner of Civil Defence or any of his or her officers must be permitted at all reasonable times to enter and inspect any school premises and any building in which any school is situated or any part thereof.

Singapore Civil Defence Force officers to report to Director‑General

74.  Officers of the Singapore Civil Defence Force must report to the Director‑General on the fire precautions available on school premises and recommend any further precautions necessary to preclude danger from fire.

Safety equipment against fire

75.—(1)  The Director-General may by notice in writing require the installation of any apparatus or equipment necessary as a safeguard against fire or the implementation of any other steps recommended by the Commissioner of Civil Defence or any of his or her officers and within a period to be specified in the notice the supervisor must comply with the notice.

(2)  The principal of every school must ensure that all safety equipment so installed is maintained in good order and ready for instant use.

Scheme for orderly evacuation of building in case of fire

76.  The principal of every school must draw up a scheme for the rapid and orderly evacuation of the school building in case of fire. The scheme must provide for alternative procedures according to the location of the fire.

Fire drill

77.  The principal of every school must cause all the pupils, staff and employees of the school, at least once a term to practise the scheme referred to in regulation 76 and must on each occasion record the date, the time taken for the complete evacuation of the school building and anything suggesting a need to modify the scheme.

Exits to be unobstructed

78.  The principal of every school must ensure that all exits from rooms used by the pupils and from the school building as well as all passageways and staircases are maintained clear of obstruction.

PART 12

SYLLABUSES, TIMETABLES, SCHOOL HOURS, WORKING DAYS AND HOLIDAYS

Syllabuses to be approved by Director-General

79.—(1)  No instruction may be given in any school except in accordance with a syllabus approved by the Director‑General.

(2)  The supervisor of every school must submit to the Director‑General whenever so required the syllabus of instruction of each class in the school for the Director‑General’s approval.

(3)  The Director-General may require such amendments to be made in the syllabus as he or she may think fit.

(4)  An alteration must not be made in any approved syllabus without the consent of the Director‑General.

Timetables

80.—(1)  The Director-General may give directions in writing to the supervisor of any school as to the preparation or alteration of the timetable of work of any class and may require any supervisor to submit for the Director‑General’s approval any such new or revised timetable.

(2)  A copy of the timetable of each class must be displayed in the classroom it normally occupies.

School hours

81.  The supervisor of every school must inform the Director‑General of any change in the hours of school.

Terms and holidays

82.—(1)  Full-time primary and full‑time secondary schools must open at least 191 days in each year and must provide instruction for at least —

(a) 20 hours per week during the first year of the primary course;

(b) 22½ hours per week during the second, third and fourth years of the primary course; or

(c) 24¾ hours per week in the subsequent years of the primary course and in the secondary course.

(2)  The supervisor of every school must submit to the Director‑General at least 14 days before the beginning of every school year a statement of the proposed school terms and vacations together with the dates of proposed additional holidays falling within the school terms proposed.

(3)  The Director-General may by notice in writing to the supervisor of any school require such alterations in the length of the school terms proposed by the school as the Director‑General may consider advisable in the interests of the pupils.

(4)  The Director-General may by notice in writing to the supervisor of any school prohibit the granting of a holiday on any particular day and the supervisor must thereupon ensure that the normal work of the school continues on that day.

(5)  The Director-General may by notice in writing to the supervisor of any school require the school to observe a holiday on any day specified in the notice and the supervisor must thereupon ensure that the holiday is observed.

PART 13

DISCIPLINE

Principal responsible for discipline

83.  The principal of every full-time primary or full‑time secondary school is responsible for the discipline of the pupils of the school whether on the school premises or off the school premises in such circumstances as to permit the pupils to be identified as pupils of the school.

Supervisor to support disciplinary measures of principal

84.  The supervisor of every such school must assist the principal to carry out all such disciplinary measures as the principal may decide upon.

Pupils not to remain in premises after regular hours

85.  No pupil of any such school other than a boarder in a registered boarding school may remain on the school premises after the regular hours of instruction except for purposes approved by the principal.

Police to be called in if pupils refuse to leave premises

86.  If the pupils of any such school refuse to obey an order of the principal or the supervisor to leave the school premises, the supervisor, or if the supervisor is not available the principal, must without delay call upon any police officer to enter the premises and the police officer may take whatever action seems to the police officer necessary.

Pupils to be dismissed for disorderly conduct and subversive propaganda, etc.

87.  The supervisor or the principal of every such school must, unless the Director‑General otherwise permits in writing, dismiss from the school —

(a) pupils participating in any unlawful or disorderly assembly;

(b) pupils participating in any dispute between employers and employees;

(c) pupils carrying on subversive propaganda whether on or off the school premises; or

(d) pupils resisting school discipline.

Corporal punishment

88.—(1)  Corporal punishment must not be administered to girl pupils.

(2)  The corporal punishment of boy pupils is to be administered with a light cane on the palms of the hands or on the buttocks over the clothing. No other form of corporal punishment may be administered to boy pupils.

(3)  Where there is more than one teacher in a school, corporal punishment must be inflicted by the principal only or under the principal’s express authority.

Application of this Part

88A.—(1)  In this Part, a full-time secondary school includes any junior college and Centralised Institute providing pre‑university education.

(2)  This Part also applies to any Government school.

PART 14

MONEYS COLLECTED FROM PUPILS

Definitions

89.  In this Part —

“Consolidated Fund” means the Consolidated Fund established under the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore;

“Government-aided school” means a private school receiving a grant from the Government;

“national examinations” has the meaning given by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board Act 2003;

“School Fund” means the School Fund established under regulation 90;

“Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board” means the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board established under section 3 of the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board Act 2003.

School Fund

90.—(1)  For the purpose of controlling the moneys collected from pupils in Government and Government‑aided schools, a fund called the School Fund is established, which must be administered by the Director‑General and into which must be paid moneys as directed by the provisions of this Part or the Director‑General.

(2)  The Director-General may authorise the principal of any Government or Government‑aided school or any cluster superintendent to assist the Director‑General in the administration of the School Fund.

(3)  Every principal or cluster superintendent authorised by the Director‑General to administer the School Fund under paragraph (2) must, with respect to that part of the School Fund he or she is authorised to administer —

(a) perform such duties and cause such records and accounts to be kept and rendered as may be prescribed by these Regulations or by instructions issued by the Director‑General or the Government in matters of financial and accounting procedures; and

(b) comply with such other directions as the Director‑General or the Government may issue from time to time.

(4)  If it appears to the Director‑General that any principal or cluster superintendent who is not in the employment of the Government but who is authorised by the Director‑General to administer the School Fund under paragraph (2) —

(a) has failed to collect any moneys owing to the School Fund the collection of which the principal or cluster superintendent was responsible for;

(b) is responsible for any improper payment of moneys from the School Fund or for any payment of such moneys which was not duly vouched; or

(c) is responsible for any deficiency in any moneys in the School Fund,

the Director‑General may require the principal or cluster superintendent to furnish an explanation for the matter referred to in sub-paragraph (a), (b) or (c) (as the case may be) within the period specified by the Director‑General.

(5)  If a satisfactory explanation is not furnished to the Director‑General within the period specified by the Director‑General under paragraph (4), the Director‑General may appoint a committee to inquire into the matter and to submit a report to the Director‑General.

(6)  The committee referred to in paragraph (5) is to consist of —

(a) a public officer appointed by the Director‑General;

(b) a person appointed by the employer of the principal or cluster superintendent concerned; and

(c) a person, not being a public officer or an employee of the employer referred to in sub-paragraph (b), appointed jointly by the Director‑General and the employer referred to in sub‑paragraph (b).

(7)  The Director-General may, upon considering the report of the committee referred to in paragraph (5), surcharge against the principal or cluster superintendent concerned the whole or such proportion as the Director‑General thinks fit of any amount not collected, improper payment or deficiency, as the case may be.

(8)  The Director-General may at any time withdraw any surcharge in respect of which a satisfactory explanation has been received or if it otherwise appears that no surcharge should have been made.

(9)  The amount of any surcharge made under paragraph (7) and not withdrawn under paragraph (8) is a debt due to the Government from the person against whom the surcharge is made and may be sued for and recovered in any court of competent jurisdiction at the suit of the Government.

(10)  The Director-General may direct that the amount of any surcharge is to be recovered by equal monthly instalments by deductions from the salary of the person against whom the surcharge is made in amounts not exceeding one‑fourth of the total monthly salary of the person.

(11)  Any interest accruing to the moneys in the School Fund must be retained in the School Fund and used for the benefit of pupils and the advancement of education.

(12)  For the purposes of this rule, “cluster superintendent” means any person who has been designated by the Director‑General to perform supervisory and advisory functions over a group of schools in a cluster.

Collection of moneys in a Government and Government-aided school

91.—(1)  No collection of moneys may be made from pupils in a Government or Government‑aided school other than —

(a) school fees;

(b) tuition and registration fees;

(c) miscellaneous fees;

(d) where the school is an autonomous school, autonomous school fees;

(e) examination fees in respect of any of the national examinations, for and on behalf of the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board;

(f) miscellaneous payments for textbooks, school magazines, educational publications, report books, stationery, concerts, educational visits and tours, uniforms, school badges and ties and other articles normally used by pupils; and

(g) such other fees or payments as may be approved by the Director‑General from time to time.

(2)  The fees collected under paragraph (1)(a) from pupils in a Government school must be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

(3)  The fees collected under paragraph (1)(a) from pupils in a Government‑aided school may be retained by the school for the purpose of meeting the expenses of maintaining the school.

(4)  The fees collected under paragraph (1)(b) must, in the case where the tutorial classes are held —

(a) in a Government‑aided school, be retained by the school to meet the allowances payable to the supervisor and the teachers of those classes; and

(b) in a Government school, be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

(5)  The moneys collected under paragraphs (1)(c), (d), (f) and (g) must be paid into the School Fund and must be used for the purposes for which they are collected.

(6)  The fees collected under paragraph (1)(e) must be paid to the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board.

Collection of other moneys

92.  All moneys received by or collected on behalf of a Government or Government‑aided school to be used for the purposes of the school, the benefit of the pupils and the advancement of education must be paid into the School Fund.

Examination fees collected from private candidates

93.  All examination fees payable by persons who are not pupils of a Government or Government‑aided school in respect of any of the national examinations must be paid to the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board.

Director-General must approve fees

94.—(1)  The supervisor of every private school other than a Government-aided school must submit to the Director‑General for approval a list of the proposed fees to be charged for tuition and other purposes.

(2)  A change in the nature or amount of these fees must not be made without the approval of the Director‑General.

Approved fees to be published in Gazette

95.  The Director-General must cause to be published in the Gazette the amount of the approved fees of every school as they are severally approved together with the name of the supervisor and the address of the school.

Statement of fees to be displayed in school

96.  A notice showing the fees approved by the Director‑General under regulations 91 and 94 for particular classes or groups of classes must be displayed in a conspicuous place in every school and must be renewed as often as necessary to keep it clearly legible.

Method of collection of fees

97.  Unless otherwise permitted in writing by the Director‑General, the approved monthly fee must be collected either —

(a) in 12 equal payments collected on or after the first school day of each month of the calendar year; or

(b) in 10 equal payments collected on or after the first school day of each of the months January to October inclusive:

Provided that where the whole of a month is contained in a holiday the approved monthly fee for that month may be collected during the last week of the previous term.

Formal receipts

98.  The payment of every sum of money by or on behalf of a pupil to a supervisor, manager or teacher must be forthwith acknowledged in writing by the supervisor, manager or teacher, respectively, on a proper form of receipt.

Accounting for fees received from pupils

99.—(1)  The supervisor of every school must account for all fees collected from pupils in proper books of account.

(2)  Every account book kept by the supervisor must be preserved throughout the period of office of the principal who operates the account book or for a period of 5 years from the date of the last entry in the book, whichever is the longer.

(3)  All such accounts must be made available at all times for scrutiny by an Inspector of Schools.

PART 15

OUTSIDE COLLECTIONS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

List of subscribers to be submitted to Director-General each year

100.—(1)  Any person may notify the supervisor of any registered school that the person wishes to be entered on the list of subscribers of the school.

(2)  A list of the subscribers must be submitted to the Director‑General by the supervisor within one month of the beginning of each calendar year. Upon the application of the supervisor, the Director-General may, if the Director‑General thinks fit from time to time during the year in which the list is current, add to the list the name of any person who notifies the supervisor that the person wishes to be entered on the list.

(3)  No person whose name does not appear on the list in the year during which the list is current is deemed to be for the purposes of these Regulations a subscriber of the school.

School may collect subscriptions from managers and subscribers but from no others except with written sanction of Director‑General

101.—(1)  The supervisor of a school may collect subscriptions from or circulate subscription lists to the managers or subscribers of the school for the ordinary maintenance and upkeep of the school.

(2)  Except as provided in paragraph (1), no person may, without the written sanction of the Director‑General, collect subscriptions or circulate subscription lists on behalf of any school whether existing in or outside Singapore or with a view to the formation of a school either in or outside Singapore.

Applications for such permission

102.—(1)  All applications for the sanction of the Director‑General for the collection of subscriptions on behalf of any school must be made in writing to the Director‑General and must state the object for which the subscription is to be raised, the amount expected or desired to be subscribed, the methods of collection to be adopted, the estimated costs of collection, the names of all collectors, the name of the person to be responsible for the money collected and for the proper keeping of accounts, the name of the bank or other place of deposit into which the money subscribed will be paid, and the name of the person who will control the expenditure of the money so collected.

(2)  The Director-General may require the applicant to give such further information as the Director‑General may require about the finances and management of the school and the purposes and management of the proposed subscription.

Director-General may withhold sanction

103.  The Director-General may withhold his or her sanction to any application if he or she is satisfied that the school in respect of which the application is made is run for the profit either of the managers or of the teachers or of any other person, or when it appears to the Director‑General that the finances of the school are not being properly administered or the school efficiently managed or where the Director‑General considers that the persons in charge of the subscription are unsuitable or the estimated expenses unreasonable, or the object for which the subscription is to be raised is prejudicial to the interests of the pupils of the school or of the public generally.

Director-General may impose limitations

104.  In giving his or her sanction to any application under regulation 101, the Director-General may limit as he or she thinks fit the area in which subscriptions may be collected or subscription lists circulated and the period for which his or her sanction is operative and may fix a date on which full and final accounts of the subscription and of all expenses incurred in connection with the subscription are to be rendered to him or her and on which all collection books or lists are to be returned to him or her for cancellation and may also require the accounts to be published in a local newspaper.

Director-General to sign collection books and lists

105.  When sanction for any subscription or collection has been given by the Director‑General, no collection books, receipt books, books of tickets or subscription lists may be used for the purposes of subscription or collection other than books or lists signed by the Director‑General or stamped with his or her official stamp; and the Director‑General may require the names of all collectors to be clearly written in such collection books.

Director-General to scrutinise accounts and order disposal of balances

106.  The purposes for which the collection was sanctioned must be fulfilled within a reasonable time of the closing of the subscription list and the accounts must be submitted for scrutiny to the Director‑General. Any balance remaining unspent must be expended as the Director‑General may direct for the benefit of the pupils of the school. The Director‑General may decide what is to be considered a reasonable time in each case.

Requirements of other written laws to be complied with

107.  The provisions of these Regulations do not affect the requirements of any other written law from time to time in force concerning the regulation of house to house and street collections.

PART 16

SCHOOL GENERAL ACCOUNTS

Accounts to be kept and produced to Director‑General

108.—(1)  The supervisor of every school must cause to be kept proper books of account in which must be shown every item of income and expenditure received and incurred on behalf of the school.

(2)  The Director-General may at any time require the supervisor of any school to furnish accounts, including those kept by the principal, audited by an auditor approved by the Director‑General.

(3)  The supervisor must, if so required, produce to the Director‑General all books and documents relating to the accounts of the school, including those kept by the principal, and the Director‑General or an officer authorised by the Director‑General may remove the books from the school premises to examine them in detail.