Some schools fear rush to resume in-person classes

Educators on Wednesday expressed reservations about resuming full-day, in-person classes after the Easter break, due to Hong Kong’s Covid-19 situation.

Dion Chen, a high school principal and chairman of the Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council, said infection figures remain high, compared with when schools resumed classes after earlier waves of infections.

He said he believes secondary schools can achieve the government’s 90 percent vaccination target, but some younger pupils might not manage to get two doses in time.

Chen said schools could allow certain grades to return to campus first, if 90 percent of the entire student population is yet to be vaccinated.

“I believe that [students] are not just only coming to school for attending lessons or doing homework or attending examinations, but also enjoying the school life, including [having] personal growth through the daily interaction with their peers, or like attending different kinds of school events, joining various sports training and activities,” Chen told RTHK.

But some others believe schools should play it safe when classes resume in late April.

Chu Wai-lam, the vice-chairman of the New Territories School Heads Association, said due to the severe Covid situation, schools should continue teaching remotely after the break, instead of resuming face-to-face classes.

Chu, who is a primary school principal, said all schools should stick to half-day classes even if they have enough double-jabbed students, as unvaccinated pupils would be put at risk during activities without masks.

Meanwhile, the chair of the Subsidised Primary Schools Council, Vu Im-fan, said there is a lot more to consider when conducting full-day, in-person classes than just the vaccination rate of pupils.

For example, she said, the ventilation system in dining areas, and the number of pupils who are allowed to sit at each table.