HK's Youngest School Pupils Go Back To Class

Hong Kong's youngest school children went back to class on Monday for the first time since January, the last batch of students to return as the city's coronavirus situation eases.

Children in primary one to primary three and those in the final year of kindergarten headed back to their classrooms, as well as secondary school pupils who live across the border. The government earlier said that children in the first two years of kindergarten would not be going back until after the summer holidays.

A kindergarten in Tsuen Wan was checking the temperatures of children before letting them inside, and it had deployed a small robot to remind them to wash their hands regularly.

Many of the children told RTHK they were happy to be back so they could play with their friends.

But feelings were mixed among parents, with some worried about a recent cluster of Covid-19 cases in the SAR.

Meanwhile, some 40 secondary schools in Yuen Long worked together to hire coaches to bring students who live on the mainland directly to campus from the border.

Around 2,500 such students in secondary three to secondary five resumed classes on Monday.

They needed to show proof that they had tested negative for the coronavirus within the past seven days and had to fill out a health declaration form in order to be allowed to cross into Hong Kong.

One school principal in Tin Shui Wai complained that it took too long for students to pass through immigration – around 45 minutes – and some were late for class.