Coronavirus - Hong Kong secondary schools should reopen first, say teachers, as younger pupils face prospect of Covid-19 shutdown until May

By ITS Education Asia

Schools in Hong Kong should reopen in stages when the coronavirus shutdown ends, with senior secondary pupils returning first in late April and some younger children staying at home until May, according to teachers and principals.

Older students would be prioritised for the return of secondary schools ahead of the reopening of primary schools, which could consider opening in the mornings only to reduce the contagion risk, under proposals from the biggest teachers’ unions and head teacher associations in the city.

The Education Bureau last month extended the suspension of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools – in force since the end of Lunar New Year on February 3 – until after the Easter holidays or April 20 at the earliest.

This seems sensible. It is important to get exam candidate students back in school as soon as it is safe to do so.