Teachers argue pupils are already making up for lost time by studying at home
Schools have queried a government order that they make up for class time lost as a result of the Sars outbreak by shortening the summer holidays.
The Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) last week announced that all schools would remain closed until April 21, raising concerns that pupils would fall behind with their studies.
To alleviate fears, it ordered schools to defer the summer break or other holidays. But many schools and parents say the policy is unnecessary, arguing that they have already made efforts to counter the loss of lesson time through Internet learning and other activities.
Dede Huang, director of development and external affairs at the Chinese International School, said: 'The Education and Manpower Bureau has said that the closure is to be treated as a school holiday, but schools are still required to provide work, exams are going ahead, and tuition is provided.'
She said that teachers were working on school premises, marking student assignments and answering queries about homework by e-mail and telephone.
Caroline Bickerton, a development officer at the Australian International School, said that the suspension period was not being treated as a holiday and that the school had no plans to interfere with its summer holiday schedule.