Letters | As Hong Kong schools reopen, give students space and time to catch up

Reading Time:1 minute

Chairs are placed some distance apart to prevent the spread of coronavirus at a secondary school in Shek Kip Mei, as Hong Kong students prepare to return to class after four months. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 7:30am, 15 May 2020Updated: 7:30am, 15 May 2020

Hong Kong officials have made painstaking efforts to keep local coronavirus infections at bay, imposing social distancing measures such as the closure of schools since early February. With face-to-face teaching suspended for more than four months, approximately 900,000 students have had to get used to online learning at home.

With virus transmissions showing signs of abating, the Education Bureau announced on May 5 that schools would be allowed to reopen in phases, starting with senior secondary classes, to be followed by junior secondary and older primary school pupils.

While most students heaved a sigh of relief, as they could look forward to a return to a semblance of normality, some might be under tremendous stress to make up lost ground. Students from underprivileged families are particularly at risk of being behind the learning curve, owing to their limited access to online learning resources. Numerous NGOs have expressed concerns about widened disparity: well-off students can study in a conducive environment at home, but poorer students are left at a disadvantage by cramped living conditions and poor WiFi connections.

01:38

In times of hardship, encouragement and emotional support are key to helping students catch up on their studies. An upbeat spirit and positive thinking could serve as driving forces. Teachers should avoid pressuring students who encounter difficulties catching up with lessons. Only with a caring learning environment and step-by-step guidance can all students regain their direction and strive to achieve learning goals.

Gary Lam, Sheung Shui

Help us understand what you are interested in so that we can improve SCMP and provide a better experience for you. We would like to invite you to take this five-minute survey on how you engage with SCMP and the news.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2-3x faster

1.1x

220 WPM

Slow

Normal

Fast

00:0000:00

1.1x