As schools reopen, education authorities urge students, teachers to start commute early

Pupils of secondary schools in Central and Western and Wan Chai returned to their classrooms yesterday, some enduring traffic jams and extra-long journeys because of the continuing pro- democracy protests.

The resumption of classes came after a week-long suspension that included two public holidays. Protesters had blocked key roads - including Harcourt Road and Cotton Tree Drive - on Hong Kong Island. Thirty-two secondary schools in the two districts reopened yesterday, while 51 primary schools will resume classes today.

Several schools reported that most pupils were on time, while others were a few minutes late.

Assistant Commissioner for Transport Albert Su Yau-on said the protest movement had caused huge traffic jams both in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island.

Nancy Chan Woo Mei-hou, principal of King's College on Bonham Road, Central, said children whose families were most inconvenienced lived on the outlying islands and on the north side of Hong Kong Island.

St Paul's Co-educational College, on MacDonnell Road, felt the impact of the protests because its main bus route had been blocked.

"We had dozens of students arriving late," said the school's director of community relations, Kim Tsoi-ming.