HONG KONG
The Hong Kong Department of Education has announced that schools will remain closed until 16 March and an important examination for primary school students has been cancelled as the city battles to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
In a further development, the Government has extended the period during which most of its 176,000 Public Servants would work from home into this week (25 February).
Secretary for Education, Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said there had been little choice but to extend the suspension of classes for two extra weeks at the city’s kindergartens, primary and secondary schools.
The Primary Six examination for secondary school placements was also cancelled, while kindergartens would receive a special subsidy to help with cleaning costs.
“We all know that in view of the epidemic, it is not really safe now to resume classes; that’s why we have to suspend classes,” Mr Yeung said.
“We will continue to take into account the professional advice from health experts, readiness of schools, as well as the supply of epidemic preventive materials in the community in making further assessment and deciding the exact day of class resumption.”
He said that portions of Hong Kong’s university entrance examination, known as the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE), could be pushed back by as much as a month.
“We are considering two options: Postponing a few tests but keeping the original schedule for most subjects starting on 27 March, or bumping the written exams for a month starting on 24 April and cancelling the Chinese and English oral exam,” Mr Yeung said.
“A final decision will be made by the end of February.”
Hong Kong, 15 February 2020
