Personal Learning Device (PLD) Initiative

Personal Learning Device (PLD) Initiative

At MOE’s Committee of Supply Debate in March 2020, MOE launched the National Digital Literacy Programme (NDLP) for our schools and Institutes of Higher Learning to help students strengthen their digital literacy. One of the components of the NDLP is the introduction of the Personalised Digital Learning Programme (PDLP) for all secondary school students, whereby every secondary school student will own a school-prescribed Personal Learning Device (PLD) by end-2021. This provides important information about how you can purchase the PLD for your child/ward as well as about the accompanying applications that the school may be rolling out as part of the NDLP.

Personal Learning Device (PLD) for Secondary School Students

2.    Overview. 

The PLD will be used in tandem with the national e-learning platform – the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) – as well as other educational technology to personalise and enhance students’ learning. This will also enable students to acquire digital skills and apply these skills as they navigate an increasingly digitalised world.

For newly posted in students at Secondary 1, parents will need to ensure that the following are submitted before Tuesday, 26 December 2023, 12 pm.

> 1. Intent to purchase and use of Edusave (requires SingPass log in) – Parents without SingPass are to approach the general office for the hardcopy form. > > 2. Information on existing household computing device(s)

3.    Purchase of PLD bundle. 

The school has made arrangements for you to purchase the PLD from ASIAPAC TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD. (Vendor) for your child’s/ward’s use in school. The vendor has been identified based on the choice of the device determined by the school from a panel of awarded suppliers established by MOE. The PLD bundle which includes warranty and insurance for purchase by your child/ward will be the Enhanced Device Bundle comprising the following : 

  • Apple iPad [10.2” 9th Gen model, A13 Bionic chip, 64 GB Storage]  
  • Apple Pencil 
  • Ruggedized Keyboard Combo 3 Case 
  • 3 Year AppleCare+
  • 3 Year Insurance

The price of the Enhanced Device Bundle is tentatively priced at $865.40 and is inclusive of 9% GST. 

The Enhanced Device Bundle includes the device, associated accessories, insurance, warranty, and fortnightly courier service by Contractor to collect damaged devices from school (Or parents can choose to send directly to the 6 Apple Service Centres)

  1. Use of Edusave.  

Students who are Singapore citizens can use their Edusave to pay fully or partly for the PLD, after setting aside provision for payment of miscellaneous fees. Parents/Guardians can also choose to pay cash for the PLD. MOE has provided Edusave top-ups of $200 in 2020 to 2022, and $300 in 2023 to all eligible Singaporean students in primary and secondary schools. This is on top of the annual Edusave contribution of $290 for secondary school students and $230 for primary school students.

5.  Financial Assistance. 

Subsidies are available for students who require funding support to purchase a PLD. Please note that it is compulsory for all students on the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) to use their Edusave to pay for any remaining sums due for the PLD, after subsidies have been granted. Please see the table below for information on the eligibility for the subsidy:

Table 1 – Information on Subsidy
Students eligible for subsidy Income criteria How to Apply for Subsidy
Students under MOE FAS Gross Household Income (“GHI”) is $3,000 or less, or
Per Capita Income (“PCI”) is $750 or less		 No action required. Automatically subsidised for the PLD.
Students under School-based FAS GHI is $4,400 or less, or
PCI is $1,100 or less		 Approach the school’s General Office to apply for a subsidy.
(To submit Annex D)
Students who are currently not under the MOE FAS / School-based FAS GHI is $4,400 or less, or
PCI is $1,100 or less		 Approach the school’s General Office to apply for a subsidy.
(To submit Annex D)

“PCI” refers to the Gross Household Income divided by the total number of family members in the household.

Software Applications

6. IT Applications. Schools will progressively roll out IT applications that will be vital for students’ teaching and learning. These include: (a) Student iCON: Every secondary school student will be provided with access to the Google Suite set of tools, including email address. (b) Microsoft ProPlus: Every secondary school student will be able to use Microsoft Office tools that include Word, PowerPoint and Excel. (c) Zoom: Every secondary school student will be given a Zoom free account with 40 min time limit for their video conferencing needs.

The school will need to use your child’s/ward’s full name, Student iCON ID and class to set up user accounts. The school may also choose to roll out applications other than those listed above.

7. Device Management Application. (“DMA”). A DMA will come pre-installed on all PLDs purchased through the school and will be installed on any student-owned devices parents/guardians opt for the student to use in lieu of the PLD, subject to parental/guardian consent. The DMA has 3 main components which will support the use of the PLD in the classroom and safeguard students’ cyber wellness:
(a) Classroom Management Service. To help teachers manage students’ use of the PLD during lesson time to improve classroom management and support effective teaching and learning.
(b) Mobile Device Management Service. To help update and manage the PLD, protect the PLD from malicious software, and protects students from objectionable internet content.
(c) Usage Management Service. To enable school and/or parents/guardians to better supervise and set helpful limits for students’ use of PLD after school.

8. Cyber-wellness. In rolling out the PLD, MOE is acutely aware of concerns regarding students’ cyber-wellness. The DMA allows the school to manage this, by
(a) collecting data on usage by the student, such as the amount of time spent on each application,
(b) monitoring, filtering and limiting the type of websites accessible to the student, and
(c) placing restrictions on students’ screen time in order to prevent cyber addiction.

More details on the functions and features of the DMA, and on the collection and protection of personal data will be shared nearer the onboarding date.
Please refer to Annexes A, B and C for more details on the functions and features of the DMA, and on the collection and protection of personal data.

  1. To proceed with the purchase of the PLD, please fill in the online form at this link: https://go.gov.sg/pdlpadmin by [26 Dec 2023]. If you are unable to submit the form online, please contact the school for a hardcopy version.

10. Upcoming activities. Billing and payment for the PLD will commence in February and the delivery of the PLD is expected to be in Term 2. The projected timeline for the key activities is shown below:

Table 2 – Key Events
Projected Timeline Event Remarks and Links
26 Dec 2023 Submission of application forms

Submit information on existing household computing device

Other applications

 required:
1. Intent to Purchase PLD and Use of Edusave (go to: https://go.gov.sg/pdlpadmin)
2. Survey on Household Computing Device (https://go.gov.sg/hssurveycomputingdevicesec1)


where applicable:
1. Application for Subsidy (See Annex D)
2. Application for Home Access Programme (subsidised fibre broadband, go to: www.digitalaccess.gov.sg)
Jan 2024 Confirmation of Order
 Parents who had confirmed the purchase and submitted the required information will be informed. Parents choosing to use their own iPad will need to have their iPad assessed by the school for suitability.
Feb 2024 Billing and Payment via SAM, Giro, or Cheque/Cash payment to school after receiving the bill
(If you are using Giro, please ensure that there are sufficient funds for the deduction)
Mar 2024 Briefing to Parents (Optional) Optional workshop for parents who opted for Option B under DMA settings (See Annex B)
Mar – Apr 2024 Deployment and onboarding of PLD and DMA Date to be advised.

Next Steps

11.  To proceed with the purchase of the PLD, please submit the online forms (see table 2) by 31 December 2022. The online forms will be available after Sec 1 registration. If you are unable to submit the form online, please contact the school for a hardcopy version.

12.  For students with insufficient Edusave and remainder/full payment is required, the school will inform parents/guardians to make the balance payment. Payment modes are detailed below. For non-GIRO payment, payments should only be made after parents are informed by the school.

  • (a) Payment through GIRO (recommended) : Please ensure sufficient funds in the GIRO account to be deducted.
  • (b) Payment by Cheque : Please cross the cheque and indicate Ministry of Education as account payable.
  • (c) Payment through SAM : Pay to Ministry of Education. Please key in your child/ward’s NRIC/FIN and amount payable when prompted.
  • (d) Payment by Cash : Pay at the General Office after school dismissal.

Further Queries

13. Should there be any further queries or clarification, please contact Mr Javen Gwee, HOD/ICT & Data Management at 6385-1990.

Thank you!

Annex A: Functions of the DMA

Functions Details
1. Mobile Device Management Service
This facilitates the updating and management of the PLDs, protects PLDs from malicious software, and protects your child/ward from objectionable internet content, or content that may not be conducive to teaching and learning during school hours.		 – Facilitates automatic installation of apps required for teaching and learning

– Filters objectionable content or content that may not be conducive to teaching and learning (e.g. social media, pornography, gambling, or websites containing extremist content)

– Protects your child’s/ward’s PLD from security vulnerabilities through the automatic updating and patching of apps and device Operating System (OS)
2. Classroom Management Service
Enables teachers to manage the student’s use of the PLD during lesson time to improve classroom management and support effective teaching and learning.Teachers will only monitor students’ activities during lessons.		 During lessons, teachers will be able to:

– Manage and control devices (e.g. using the “Eyes Up” function)

– Launch specific applications and/or websites for teaching and learning on your child’s/ward’s device

– Facilitate the sharing of content

– Monitor your child’s/ward’s usage and activities during lessons (e.g. screen sharing, monitoring your child’s/ward’s browsing history)
3. Usage Management Service
Enables the school and/or parents/guardians to better supervise and set helpful limits for your child’s/ward’s use of PLD after school.		 – Screen time control ensures that your child/ward does not use the PLD excessively

– School and/or parents/guardians can control installation of applications to ensure that the device is used optimally for teaching and learning

– Safe search and web content filtering protect your child/ward from harmful content

– Parents/Guardians can monitor usage and activities by child/ward

Annex B: DMA Settings After School Hours

1. During school hours, the Default Setting will apply. Parents/Guardians are given a choice to opt for an Alternative Setting, which will apply only to after school hours. The following table outlines the different levels of restrictions, controls and monitoring for the different DMA options after school hours.

Default Setting
(This will apply if no Alternative Setting is chosen)		 Alternative Setting:
Option A
(Modify DMA settings)		 Alternative Setting:
Option B
(Disable DMA)
For parents/guardians who want their child’s/ward’s use of the device to be restricted only to teaching and learning, and who prefer to follow the Default Setting as set by the school during school hours.
 For parents/guardians who want more leeway over their child’s/ward’s use of the device, and prefer to take charge of the level of restrictions for their child’s/ward’s use of the device after school hours. For parents/guardians who do not want their child’s/ward’s use of the device after school hours to be regulated by the DMA at all.
Protects students from objectionable content Web content filtering:

– Violent/extremist content
– Sexual/pornographic content
– Gambling-related content
– Social media sites
 Parents/Guardians can apply additional content filtering. No content filtering at all.
Reduce distractions from learning through control of applications Parents/Guardians and students will be unable to install additional applications.

 – Parents/Guardians and/or students will be able to install additional applications after school hours.

– Applications installed by parents/guardians and/or students after school hours will be disabled during school hours.
Limit screen time The school will set the hours during which the child/ward will be able to use the device online in a day. Parents/Guardians can modify the amount of screen time for their child/ward.
 No control over screen time.
Monitor students’ cyber activities
– A parent/guardian account will be provided to allow parents/guardians to monitor their child’s/ward’s PLD activities after school hours.
– Parents/Guardians will only be able to track their child’s/ward’s browser history after school hours.
– School DMA Admin will have access to the child’s/ward’s browser history logs.
– Teachers will only have access to the child’s/ward’s browser history logs for the class that they teach. Teachers will not have access to the child’s/ward’s browser history logs outside of that specific class.
– Parents/Guardians will not be provided a parent/guardian account.
– Parents/Guardians will not be able to monitor or control their child’s/ward’s use of the device through the DMA. No data will be collected during the use of the PLD after school hours.

2. Parents/Guardians may wish to consider the following questions before deciding on which After-School DMA Option is best for their child/ward. 

a. Child’s/Ward’s current device usage habits

  • How much time does my child/ward spend on his/her device?
  • How well is my child/ward able to regulate his/her device usage on his/her own?
  • Does my child/ward get easily distracted while doing online learning?

b. Parental/Guardian involvement

  • How confident and familiar am I with managing my child’s/ward’s cyber wellness?
  • Are there existing routines and open conversations on the use of the internet at home?
  • Am I aware of how to prevent different types of cyber threats that my child/ward might face?

Annex C:  Privacy and Data Security

Part 1: Data Collected and Managed by the DMA

1. The DMA does NOT collect any of the following data:

  • Login IDs and passwords entered into websites or into any applications
  • Actions performed (e.g. posts, online comments, items added to a shopping cart, etc.) when visiting websites and using apps
  • Documents and photos stored in the PLD
  • PLD location 
  • Webcam videos and microphone recordings

2. The information collected by DMA will be accessible by the following personnel:


 Appointed Admin from MOE HQ and school DMA Vendors Teacher Parent/ Guardian
Data for DMA Administrative Purposes such as:
Students’ and parents’/guardians’ information (name, school name, email addresses, and class)

Apps installed in your child’s/ward’s PLD

Device and hardware information (e.g. device model, storage space)
 Y Y Y Y
Data for web content filtering such as:
URLs accessed on the PLDs (Actions performed on websites are NOT captured)

Date and time that a website is accessed

Student profile (Name, School name)
 Y Y
Y[1]
Y
Data for ensuring that installed apps are updated and functioning properly such as:

Installed apps and programs

Date and time that the apps and programs were last updated

Application error data
 Y Y Y[2] Y
Data for Sharing Students’ Screen:

Only the streaming of ‘live’ screen view, which will be accessible only during class. (The screen view will NOT be stored)
 N N
Y[3]
 N

[1] The teacher will only be able to access the logs pertaining to the student’s browser history for the class that the teacher teaches, and will be able to access the logs outside of lessons. The teacher will not have access to the student’s browser history outside of those specific lessons.

[2] Teachers will not have access to the application error data.

[3] This function is not available on the iPad unless the teacher uses Apple Classroom.

Note: No data is collected after school hours for Alternative Setting: Option B.

3. To prevent unauthorised access, DMA Administrators and DMA Vendors will be required to access their accounts using 2-factor authentication or the equivalent to ensure proper accountability for information access and other activities performed. There will be regular account reviews and audits for DMA Administrators’ and DMA Vendors’ accounts.

4. All user data collected through the DMA will be stored in secure servers managed by appointed DMA Vendors with stringent access controls and audit trials implemented. The DMA solutions used are cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions and are trusted solutions that have been operating for many years. They have also been subjected to regular security review and assessment by independent reviewers. 

5. MOE has assessed and concluded that the DMA solutions have sufficient security robustness to ensure data collected are properly stored and protected. MOE will also subject the DMA Vendors to regular audit on the security of the system based on tender requirements.

Part 2: Data collected and managed by the IT Applications

6. IT Applications. For the IT Applications (Student iCON, Microsoft ProPlus and Zoom), the school will use your child’s/ward’s personal data such as his/her full name, birth certificate number and class to set up user accounts. This data will also be used for the purposes of authenticating and verifying user identity, troubleshooting and facilitating system improvements. In addition, the commercial providers of these platforms (e.g. Google, Microsoft) will collect and deal with user data generated by your child’s/ward’s use of these applications. The collection, use and disclosure of such data are governed by the commercial provider’s terms of use, which can be found here:

7. All user data which is collected by MOE will be stored in secure servers managed by the respective vendors of our systems. The Government has put in place strong personal data protection laws and policies to safeguard sensitive data collected by public agencies such as MOE. Please refer to this website for more information on these laws and policies: https://www.smartnation.gov.sg/about-smart-nation/secure-smart-nation/personal-data-protection

Annex D:  APPLICATION FOR SUBSIDY FOR PURCHASE OF PERSONAL LEARNING DEVICE (PLD)

This application is open to all students whose Gross Household Income (GHI) ≤ $4,400 or Per Capita Income (PCI)  ≤ $1,100.  PCI is GHI divided by the number of household members.  Students on MOE Financial Assistance Scheme do not need to apply for this as they will automatically be granted the subsidy by the school.  

Section I: Particulars of Student
Please indicate the details of the student applying for subsidy.

Name (Underline Surname) Birth Cert / NRIC / FIN No. Level / Class






Section II: Information on Other Household Members

Please include details of the parents, unmarried siblings and grandparents (if they are living in the same household) of the student.  For household members who are employed/self-employed, please include the latest payslip or past 3 months CPF transactions or latest Income Tax Notice of Assessment, or a letter from the employer certifying gross income (where applicable).  Any other documents must be submitted as and when required by the school for the purpose of verifying the income.

Upcoming Activities for PDLP

  • Collection and Set-up of iPad – on Feb 2024
  • Deciding the DMA Option – by Mar 2024
  • Optional Briefing for Parents on DMA – on Mar 2024

DMA Parent Portal

To be advised.

PLD Accessories Sales Portal

Below is the sales portal for the purchase of new or replacement accessories related to the Apple iPad from our vendor, AsiaPac Technology Pte. Ltd. 

https://www.asiapac.com.sg/pld-apple/account/login

If you are new to this sales portal, you will need to register for an account as a new user before you can purchase online. Please ensure that you have the BIRTH CERT NO.

(LAST 5 CHARACTERS) ready and choose Hougang Secondary School. 

2024 PDLP Briefing to S1 Students (For Students)

Quick Summary of Things to do: 

  • Verify you can access your student iCon before Feb 2024 by clicking the link below. Here is an example of a Student iCON email:  your_name@students.edu.s_g

https://go.gov.sg/hsstudentemail 
 

If you need help with your user ID or password, please approach the IT team at SRC.

  • Bring your Student Pass .
  • Report to level one classroom;
  • Familiarise yourself with the Onboarding slides here: 

2022 PDLP Briefing to S1 Students

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