本局檔號

中 華 人 民 共 和 國 香 港 特 別 行 政 區 政 府 總 部 教 育 局 Education Bureau

Government Secretariat, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region The People's Republic of China

本局檔號 Our Ref : EDB(SDCT)3/PRO/10/1/1 電話 Telephone :

來函檔號 Your Ref. : 傳真 Fax Line :

11 May 2021

To: Supervisors / Principals of all Secondary Schools, Primary Schools, Special Schools, Schools offering Non-Local Curriculum, Kindergartens and Kindergarten- cum-Child Care Centres and Private Schools offering Non-Formal Curriculum

Dear Supervisor / Principal,

Whole-School Resumption of Half-Day Face-to-Face Class Arrangements for All Schools in Hong Kong

The Education Bureau (EDB), taking into account the latest development of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hong Kong, advice of health experts and preparedness of schools, has announced today that all kindergartens (KGs), primary and secondary schools (including special schools and schools offering non-local curriculum) as well as private schools offering non-formal curriculum (PSNFCs) (commonly known as “tutorial schools”) may fully resume face-to-face classes with effect from May 24 (Monday). The classes will be on a half-day basis to avoid infection risk that will arise if students eat out.

Whole-School Half-Day Face-to-Face Class Arrangements The detailed arrangements are as follows:

(i) for secondary schools, schools can arrange for all students to attend face-to- face classes either in the morning or in the afternoon for no more than a half day, schools should not arrange for students to attend face-to-face classes or take examinations for an entire day. In other words, students attending morning and afternoon sessions must be of different class levels. Schools should not arrange learning or other activities for students of any level for the half days without classes;

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(ii) for primary schools, schools can arrange for all students to attend face-to- face classes or take examinations in the morning only for no more than half a day. Schools should not arrange learning or other activities for students of any level for the rest of the day;

(iii) for KGs, those operating morning sessions or afternoon sessions can arrange for students to return to school for half-day lessons in the morning to afternoon respectively. KGs operating whole-day sessions can arrange for students to attend face-to-face classes either in the morning or in the afternoon for no more than a half day. KGs should not arrange learning or other activities for the same batch of students for the other half days outside school time;

(iv) special schools should, in principle, make reference to the arrangements of ordinary schools. The diverse needs and situations of individual students will be taken into account in deciding the detailed arrangements; and

(v) PSNFCs can arrange for students to return to schools to attend face-to-face classes for not more than half a day.

In accordance with the existing arrangements, for an individual school that can arrange for all its teachers and staff to take regular virus tests or get vaccinated, the EDB will, taking into account the school’s actual situation, consider allowing the school to arrange whole-school resumption of half-day face-to-face classes. This scheme will continue until 23 May 2021 (Sunday). The free testing services offered by the Community Testing Centres (Centres) for teachers and school staff will be correspondingly extended from 14 May 2021 to 23 May 2021. Teachers and staff should present at the Centres the duly completed “Community Testing Centres –Test Registration Form” at Annex with school chops stamped. The above waiver is not applicable to teachers and staff of PSNFCs.

Health Precautionary Measures

Schools should continue to strictly implement all the anti-epidemic measures as stipulated in the earlier updated “Health Protection Measures for Schools” issued by the EDB and the “Health Advice to Schools for the Prevention of COVID-19” issued by the Centre for Health Protection. Such measures include wearing masks all the time within school campuses, maintaining appropriate social distances, measuring temperatures of teachers and students at school entrances, etc. to safeguard the health of teachers and students. Schools should also always keep the school environment clean and hygienic.

Vaccination is a vital step in the fight against the virus and the epidemic. We appeal once again to teachers and staff to get vaccinated proactively to protect themselves, their families, and the Hong Kong community as a whole. Except for those whose medical conditions are not fit for vaccination, we hope that all teachers and staff will receive vaccinations as soon as practicable in order to avoid being infected or spreading the virus during work. In addition, we encourage teachers and staff to voluntary take regular virus tests so as to create a safer learning environment and

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provide extra protection for students and teachers. Currently, the Government has been offering multiple locations and modes to facilitate virus testing. For details, please refer to (https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html). Besides, any school which encounters genuine difficulties in obtaining COVID-19 testing kits for its teachers and school staff can contact the respective School Development Section / Joint Office for Kindergartens and Child Care Centre. The EDB will offer assistance to these schools as far as practicable.

Administrative Arrangements

Schools should pay attention and put in place the following administrative arrangements:

(i) As required, schools and boarding sections (if applicable) should remain open to take care of those students who have to go back to schools or boarding sections (if applicable) because of the lack of carers at home, and schools should maintain adequate social distances amongst students on campus.

Schools should arrange staff to be on duty to handle school affairs, answer parents’ enquiries and take care of those students who have returned to schools. Schools should ensure that adequate and appropriate manpower is made available. Teachers and staff going back to schools should maintain adequate social distances and put in place all preventive measures. If more than one student has returned to a school, then the school should ensure the maintenance of appropriate social distances amongst the students;

(ii) In order to minimise social contact and avoid crowd gatherings, schools at this stage should not organise mass events such as parents’ days, open days, campus visits etc.; and

(iii) Schools should inform stakeholders (including teachers and staff, school bus operators, tuck shop operators, etc.) the related arrangements before whole- school resumption of face-to-face classes, and should keep close contact with the parents.

For enquiries, please contact your respective Senior School Development Officers / Senior Services Officers.

Yours sincerely,

(Dr Verena LAU) for Secretary for Education

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Education Bureau

Secondary Schools, Primary Schools, Special Schools, Schools offering Non-Local Curriculum, Kindergartens (KGs) and Kindergarten-cum-Child Care Centres (KG-

cum-CCCs) in Hong Kong

Community Testing Centres¹ – Test Registration Form

Notes:

(1) This Test Registration Form (Form) can only be used by teaching and non-teaching staff who are working on campus and are directly employed by KGs/KG-cum-CCCs, primary and secondary schools (including special schools and schools offering non-local curriculum) which will arrange whole-school resumption of half-day face-to-face classes.

(2) This Form cannot be used by teachers and staff of schools offering non-formal curriculum (commonly known as 'tutorial schools').

(3) Teachers and staff must make advance booking for the free testing service via the Community Testing Centre - Booking System (www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/). Those who do not make an appointment have to pay for the testing service ($240).

(4) This Form should be kept by teachers and staff. Teachers and staff should present this Form on the day he/she takes the test at the Community Testing Centre for identity verification.

Personal Information of the Test Taker (to be completed by schools)

School Name:

School Telephone Number : School Registration Number : Test Taker Name:

(must be identical to the name on Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID Card)/Passport) HKID Card No./Passport No.:

Period of Testing: 15 May 2021 to 23 May 2021

1 List of Community Testing Centres - www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/

School Chop Annex