Entrance and Exit Points for Schools

Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Education (Schools) whether it is the practice for all schools and institutions to have more than one entrance/exit gate so that the school can still be accessed in case of an emergency when the main access point has been compromised.

Most Ministry of Education (MOE) schools are designed with two separate vehicular gates to allow the flow of vehicles into and out of the schools. These gates are used by emergency vehicles should the need arise.

Some schools have only one vehicular gate for entry and exit because of localised site constraints, such as proximity to external road turnings, external bus bay or a narrow school frontage. Here, the gate is designed to be wider to allow for two-way vehicular access.

Our schools are designed with fire engine access road that comply with the requirements of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). In the event of an emergency, SCDF has the necessary capabilities to gain access to the school premises.

All schools have at least two other pedestrian side gates which are typically segregated from the vehicular access gates.

Should the main vehicular access point be blocked in an emergency, people can exit using these pedestrian side gates. Schools are also provided with emergency exit gates along the fence of the school field for evacuation during emergencies. These pedestrian and emergency gates do serve as alternative routes for emergency vehicles to approach.

Schools and MOE continually review our emergency Standard Operating Procedures, including infrastructure provisions. They also conduct regular exercises to ensure that our schools are prepared for any emergency.