What is your response to the latest announcements from the EDB?
After considering the latest advice from the Education Bureau and consulting with some of our parents, we have decided the following with regards to our English classes:
From Monday 11 January, we will resume in-centre, face-to-face classes for Playgroup, Stay and Play, Kindergarten Foundation and K1-K3. Phonics, Success for Starters and Primary and Secondary classes will remain online.
Arrangements for Adult classes remain unchanged.
But I thought the EDB advised that kindergartens are still suspended?
The latest advice from the EDB states that Private Schools offering Non-Formal Curriculum (PSNFCs) or Tutorial Schools can “arrange a small number of students to return to schools to attend face-to-face classes for not more than a half day. The upper population limit of students to return to a school for face-to-face classes at the same time slot should be capped at one sixth of the school’s maximum permitted capacity.” This does not refer to a particular age group. Please see here, Section (v).
The advice on Kindergartens in Section (iii) refers to Kindergarten schools specifically, not Tutorial Schools that may offer courses to kindergarten and other-aged students.
Why prioritise this younger group over others?
This is the group that currently does not have an online alternative with us. Experience tells us that the younger student group is the one most in need of face-to-face, in-centre teaching, learning and social contact, and it is they who perhaps benefit least from learning online.
How will you ensure the health and safety of the students?
The health and safety of all our students is our main priority in our decision-making. We will comply closely with the EDB’s recommendations and cap the number of students at no more than 1/6 of our maximum capacity.
In addition, our Admiralty and Tsim Sha Tsui centres are closed to the general public until further notice, and access is restricted to a small number of learners and test takers, who will be spread far and wide across our centres.
For those who are permitted to attend our centres, we have strict hygiene and social distancing measures in place, which include:
- Compulsory health and travel declarations
- Compulsory mask wearing
- Temperature checks
- Spacious, well-ventilated classrooms
- Reduced class sizes
- Maintenance of social distancing in the class and across the building
- Regular disinfection of public areas and all rooms after each class
- Provision of hand sanitisers in all rooms and public areas
What if I do not want to send my child to class?
We will continue to monitor absence logs and give automatic credits to those who choose not to send their child to class during this time.