Students Happy To Be At School Despite Covid Rules

Students are thrilled to be back in school on Wednesday, even though face-to-face classes will last no more than half a day as a precautionary measure against Covid-19.

Education officials earlier said schools can only resume full-day classes after at least 70 percent of students and teachers have been vaccinated, but no schools have reached the target yet.

A form three student surnamed Chan, who is fully vaccinated, told RTHK she hopes to return to full-day classes as soon as possible.

"We only have half-day classes now... I hope my schoolmates can get vaccinated as well so we can reach a 70 percent vaccination rate and resume full-day classes as soon as possible," she said.

Another student said she looks forward to be able to have lunch with her friends again soon.

Some parents said it's time their kids resumed normal campus life.

"I think it's time for him to to get back to school and study face to face. I think there are not many local cases in Hong Kong. I am not too worried about this," said Johnny, whose son is starting form one this year.

"It's okay as long as she knows how to protect herself by wearing masks and using hand sanitizer," said a woman surnamed Chiu, who has an eight-year-old daughter.

Speaking after visiting a primary school in Tsuen Wan on Wednesday morning, Education Secretary Kevin Yeung said officials have not received any applications from schools to resume full-day teaching yet.

He said officials will collect data from schools starting from next week to gauge the vaccination situation among teachers and students.

"When we achieve a higher percentage of vaccination, the overall control or the risk will be lower. Then we can afford to have some release in the social distancing measures. At the same time, we will also consider whether we can have further relaxation in terms of the face-to-face lessons in primary [schools] and kindergartens," Yeung said.