Coronavirus: Hong Kong school heads voice concern over fulfilling 3-jab student requirement for full-day classes

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  • Scientia Secondary School head says race to fulfil criteria in two months is tight, and switching teaching models again will affect learning
  • Head of the Subsidised Primary Schools Council Vu Im-fan calls for more vaccination outreach services to boost rates
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Secondary schools will only be allowed to have full-day classes if there is a 90 per cent third-jab rate among students by November. Photo: Dickson Lee

Several of Hong Kong’s head teachers have voiced concern over difficulties in fulfilling a tougher student Covid-19 vaccination requirement for schools to conduct full-day, in-person classes.

The heads of schools also warned on Wednesday of disruption to learning if teaching models had to be switched again, a day after the government announced that secondary full-day classes could only be taught on campus with a 90 per cent third-jab rate among students by November, tightened from the existing two-dose rule.

Scientia Secondary School principal Wong Ching-yung said nearly 70 per cent of students at his school had been triple vaccinated, but he had reservations as to whether the 90 per cent mark could be reached in time.

6 in 10 Hong Kong secondary pupils fear meeting without masks

“It is a big challenge to meet the new requirement within two months. There will be difficulties,” Wong told a radio programme. “Switching between full-day and half-day teaching would pose challenges to teaching and learning, as well as students’ civic education. There will definitely be adverse effects.”

He warned that a half-day arrangement for schools would not reduce infection risks anyway as transmission of the virus could occur when students went out for meals.

“A half-day arrangement would effectively usher secondary school students to dine out for lunch, as many of them won’t be having lunch at home after school. This may not fit the Education Bureau’s expectations. Schools have been well-equipped on anti-epidemic measures over these two years, I think the risk of catching the coronavirus would be lower if students have lunch at school,” Wong argued.

School heads say they need more time to meet the government’s 90 per cent third-jab requirement. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

From October, the same three-jab rule would apply to both secondary and primary schools for mask-off, extracurricular activities. Head of the Subsidised Primary Schools Council Vu Im-fan said while boosting vaccination rates among students was possible, schools would need more time to meet the government’s 90 per cent mark.

“It’s not hard getting those who have had two shots to get their third one, as most didn’t have major adverse responses to the vaccine. The issue is the short time allowed for the third dose,” Vu told the same radio show on Wednesday.

She said schools could arrange for vaccination outreach services on campus to facilitate parents in getting their children inoculated in time.

Hong Kong’s daily caseload could peak at 20,000 in September but city should not ‘go backwards’ and suspend classes

Meanwhile, Lau Yu-lung, chairman of the government’s scientific committee for vaccines, told another radio programme that authorities would boost vaccination outreach at schools to increase jabs uptake at the primary and kindergarten levels.

Such sessions could be arranged when at least 10 pupils had expressed interest, he said.

“As long as there are 10 people willing to have an injection, we will come in cycles, as if we are canvassing for vaccinations.”

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