With the start of school just around the corner, the epidemic is still heating up. On the 5th of this month, the Education Bureau announced that half-day face-to-face classes will be temporarily maintained for the new school year. Teachers and students in all primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in Hong Kong are required to take quick tests every day until further notice. It is understood that the Education Bureau will issue a notice to the school as soon as today (29th), and update the health guidelines, requiring students to take a rapid test two days before the start of school, that is, tomorrow (30th) and the day following (31st), and holding Parents with a “red code” or “yellow code” are not allowed to enter the campus.
Educator Chu Kwok-keung said on a radio program this morning that there were outbreaks in many schools before the summer vacation, but the spread soon stopped. He would rather maintain the requirement of returning to school for quick tests every day rather than cancel face-to-face classes. Exemptions should be allowed for Secondary 6 students facing public examinations. He also revealed that if face-to-face courses are not allowed, it will have a huge impact on the physical and mental health of students. Referring to the past, some students were addicted to playing game consoles all day following they stopped face-to-face teaching, and some people had emotional problems. Even if it is changed to half-day face-to-face teaching, it does not mean that students will stay at home following school, such as going out for appointments or part-time jobs, and are more likely to be recruited. He suggested that teachers should observe students more to determine whether they have taken a quick test before returning to school as required. If a student has not asked the school for a quick test package for a period of time, they may have to follow up.
The authorities plan to use the form of an incentive scheme to encourage schools to get vaccinated and encourage students to get vaccinated. Zhu Guoqiang expects that the effect will not be too great, unless increasing the vaccination rate can save the school from “killing the school”. He suggested that the authorities do more publicity, including more explanations by experts to parents, to be effective. Zhang Yongbang, honorary chairman of the Association of Principals of Aided Primary Schools in Hong Kong, believes that the current arrangements for schools are more rigorous than those of other places, and there is a certain degree of protection for students. Zhang Yongbang also hopes that there will be substantial rewards, such as holding extracurricular activities in theme parks, museums, science parks, etc., to promote the vaccination of teachers and students, and increase the vaccination rate.
