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To prevent the spread of influenza in schools, the Education Bureau (EDB) announced that all kindergartens, kindergarten/child care centres, primary and special schools would begin Easter holidays from today (March 13) up to March 28. The bureau also issued a letter this morning to all these schools on the holiday arrangements.
A bureau spokesman said that to disseminate the message to parents, announcements had been broadcast on all TV and radio channels since last night and throughout early this morning. The bureau has also requested schools to send parents a letter, to notify them the arrangements for schools and measures which they should take to prevent their children from being infected.
The letter advised schools to call off the activities scheduled to be held during the holidays. Schools should keep the school premises open during the advancement period of school holidays, arrange teachers to handle school affairs and answer parents' enquiries, and look after students who need to return to schools.
The bureau reminded schools to clean and disinfect the whole school premises thoroughly and to set up an ad hoc crisis management team to establish measures and co-ordinate and tackle all necessary arrangements. The letter has further outlined a list of cleansing measures for schools to follow.
Appropriate arrangements for any examinations, tests, activities, school bus services, lunch provision, etc should also be made based on the situation of individual schools.
In addition, the bureau urged schools to provide learning support for students so as not to affect their learning progress; and to maintain close communication with parents. Parents should report to schools at once if their children are confirmed to have been infected with influenza. Schools should immediately report the case to the Department of Health and the Education Bureau.
The letter advised principals of primary and special schools to note that except public holidays, the extended holidays should be deducted from the 90 holidays schools originally planned. To ensure adequate learning time for students, schools should adjust their arrangement of summer holidays or other holidays so as to maintain no less than 190 active schools days for whole-day schools and 209 days for half-day schools. As for the arrangement details of the holiday adjustment, schools should consult with teachers and parents and obtain the consent of the School Management Committee/Incorporation Management Committee.
Ends/Thursday, March 13, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:11
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