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Schools get leeway on holiday online classes
Schools are still allowed to provide additional classes or interest classes online to students during the early summer holiday set to start March 17, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said.
All kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, he said yesterday, should start their summer holiday no later than March 17 to vacate school premises for the citywide mandatory testing scheme.
If the testing starts before March 17, Yeung said the Education Bureau will coordinate with schools again.
Schools will not need to deploy staff to help out with the testing scheme, except under special circumstances, such as power disruption.
Yeung said schools do not need to keep their campuses open during the early summer holiday.
"But like during previous summer holidays, some schools may arrange tutorial classes or activities that are beneficial to physical and mental health for a small group of students. We think schools can follow past practice, but it can only be done online this time," Yeung said.
Authorities have inspected more than 400 schools over the past weekend to see if their premises are suitable for the citywide mandatory testing scheme, he said.
Officials have checked campus sizes, exits and entrances, power networks and ventilation, and a report will be given to the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, which is responsible for the testing scheme.
He said his bureau will inspect 100 more schools later and did not rule out the possibility of borrowing international school premises for the scheme.
Yeung also wrote on his Facebook page that authorities have designated three community vaccination centers for group bookings from schools, with each time slot able to accommodate 20 to 30 people. The centers are at Yuen Chau Kok Sports Centre in Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan Sports Centre and Central Library in Causeway Bay.
Meanwhile, candidates sitting for this year's Diploma of Secondary Education examinations next month must show a negative rapid test result first.
The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority is considering asking candidates to provide a photo of their negative test result along with their admission form before the exam to keep a record. If candidates make false claims, they could face legal consequences.
If the testing starts before March 17, Yeung said the Education Bureau will coordinate with schools again.
Schools will not need to deploy staff to help out with the testing scheme, except under special circumstances, such as power disruption.
Yeung said schools do not need to keep their campuses open during the early summer holiday.
"But like during previous summer holidays, some schools may arrange tutorial classes or activities that are beneficial to physical and mental health for a small group of students. We think schools can follow past practice, but it can only be done online this time," Yeung said.
Authorities have inspected more than 400 schools over the past weekend to see if their premises are suitable for the citywide mandatory testing scheme, he said.
Officials have checked campus sizes, exits and entrances, power networks and ventilation, and a report will be given to the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, which is responsible for the testing scheme.
He said his bureau will inspect 100 more schools later and did not rule out the possibility of borrowing international school premises for the scheme.
Yeung also wrote on his Facebook page that authorities have designated three community vaccination centers for group bookings from schools, with each time slot able to accommodate 20 to 30 people. The centers are at Yuen Chau Kok Sports Centre in Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan Sports Centre and Central Library in Causeway Bay.
Meanwhile, candidates sitting for this year's Diploma of Secondary Education examinations next month must show a negative rapid test result first.
The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority is considering asking candidates to provide a photo of their negative test result along with their admission form before the exam to keep a record. If candidates make false claims, they could face legal consequences.
