All of Hong Kong’s primary and secondary schools, as well as kindergartens, will remain closed at least until April 20, with the city still gripped by the novel coronavirus epidemic.
It’s the fourth time the government has extended suspensions of schools and kindergartens since they were ordered shut before the start of the Lunar New Year holiday last month following the outbreak of the virus on the Chinese mainland in December.
However, written tests for the Diploma of Secondary Education examination — the city’s college entrance exam — will begin as scheduled on March 27, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said on Tuesday.
The decisions were welcomed by parents, students and educators as “proper” in view of the outbreak.
Yeung suggested that kindergartens, primary and secondary schools continue with their online teaching arrangements as no specific date has been set for classes to resume.
Chu Kwok-keung, principal of Ta Ku Ling Ling Ying Public School, said the latest extension was the right move under the present circumstances. He added that the school may consider holding extra classes on Saturdays after reopening, or shorten the summer holidays in case students fail to catch up.
Tina Zhang, whose 8-year-old son commutes from Shenzhen to attend school in Hong Kong, said she’s not surprised by the latest extension. “My son has adapted to online learning. It’s the safest option for us during the epidemic.”
Hong Kong’s more than 50,000 high school graduates sitting the DSE exam this year will be given one face mask each on each of their examination days. But, exam results will be delayed by one week to July 15, and their music, physical education and oral Chinese tests will be put off until May.
Jessica, 17, who’s taking the DSE exam next month, said the arrangement is reassuring. “I used to worry about a month-long delay of the exam, which might create more uncertainties. I can now continue with my original study plans at home safely,” she said.
Cross-boundary students
So Kwok-sang, secretary-general of the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, urged cross-boundary students, about 750 of whom will take the DSE exam this year, to return to Hong Kong at least two weeks before the examination starts in order to fulfill the mandatory quarantine requirement.
There are three DSE students who are still stranded in Hubei province — the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. So said the Hong Kong government has given them priority to return to Hong Kong on flights to be charted by the SAR government.
Heads of schools, meanwhile, are weighing options to accommodate cross-boundary candidates who don’t have residence in Hong Kong.
Fong Iek-leong, chairman of the North District Secondary School Headmasters Conference, said schools are planning to rent vacation camps to house some 150 eligible DSE candidates from schools in North and Tai Po districts during the examination period.
The government had first extended the Lunar New Year holiday for schools and kindergartens until Feb 17 and, subsequently, pushed back their reopening to March 2 and then March 16.
Willa Wu contributed to this story.
