The Downtown Line (DTL) was disrupted this morning (4 Oct) after a platform door had collapsed at the Sixth Avenue station.
The breakdown happened on the day of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) Science paper, which was due to take place at 8.15am, as well as several examinations for GCE N-Level students.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) reaching out to affected students in their Facebook said that candidates affected by the disruption at Downtown Line should try and reach their exam centre before the end of the paper to sit for the exams. MOE also gave the candidates an option to go to the nearest examination centre, if they cannot reach theirs on time. It assured students taking the exams that full duration would be given for them to take the exams.
It is unclear how many students were affected by the train disruption on the day of these major exams, and also if the students were mentally affected for being late for a major exam because of the train disruption.
Facebook user Selvi Ramasamy commenting about the disruption on CNA’s news of the disruption in its Facebook said that it is unfair to the students. “Why the students must suffer? As it is they will be in exam stress (and) on top of that they have to go through this? What is happening? Hope the students will make it in time to the respective centres.”
Facebook user Grace Sun said: “Don’t think p6 (students) will know which is nearest centre to go. Even if there are signboards they must be super anxious and helpless. Parents must be very stress too. I’d be angry. I hope MOE will be fair to the students.”
Patricia Phua commenting on the same news said: “Hope the affected kids can get to their exams soon! But poor thing. Not their fault and yet got affected. I have a son taking PSLE too. So I know how it feels. If I am the affected kid, I will have no mood to take exams. All the rushing here and there and trying to get to school on time will tire me before the exams.”
And Facebook user Kunal V.j said: “This is so much of an unnecessary stress to the kids when all their thoughts r on the exam paper… and then you are talking about a car-lite island? The old East-West Line from what I know, never had such door damage…but a brand new line with new technology comes with such issues…. seriously dont know how you all do your maintenance work…”
SBS Transit which operates the DTL provided free bus services between Beauty World and Botanic Gardens. Train service only resumed at 8.25am.
The morning crowd at the Circle Line was also unusually higher than on other days, and several commuters expressed their frustrations.
Scary! One of the worst morning crowd at Bishan #mrt @smrt #train #singapore pic.twitter.com/LATbhn6wsD
— Venus (@Venushew) October 4, 2016
SMRT which operates the Circle Line did not put out any information as to why its Bishan station was crowded more than usual.