The move came as compulsory study tours were introduced as an integral part of the citizenship and social development curriculum, which is compulsory for senior secondary students and was implemented from secondary 4 in the 2021/22 school year.

Speaking at the Legco on Wednesday, Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said authorities will arrange for 50,000 pupils to enroll in the study tours from April to August.

Taking into account schools’ teaching schedules and availability of labor, Choi said authorities have now decided to introduce one-day tours.

The education chief noted that although the longer the period, the better it is for students to understand the national situation through first-hand experience, students could still gain a thing or two from the trips.

The Education Bureau previously said the tours would comprise a total of 21 routes, ranging from two to five days in provinces like Fujian, Guangdong, and Hunan. Students will be required to present what they have learned and their self-reflections after the study tours.