Anglican College resumes classes today

The Macau Anglican College (MAC) will be resuming its classes today after testing showed that the air quality in and around the school is safe for the students.

In an email to parents, which the Times had access to, the school management stated that current real-time air quality reading for harmful substances is under 0.01, less than the 0.05 recommended maximum exposure.

Air quality testing will continue for the next seven days.

“According to the health department representatives, the short period of exposure to asbestos will not affect the health of students or the surrounding community,” the principal of MAC, Robert Alexander, said.

The email noted that meetings with the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ), the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department (DSPA) and the school’s parents’ association were held yesterday.

“Material samples tested from the site contained a low percent of asbestos. The site is contained and a covered work structure will be erected for the cleaning of the area,” Alexander explained.

The school head said that DSPA will oversee and monitor the cleaning process and proper safety measures will be followed and continuous air quality testing will be conducted.

The cleaning process will not affect the school and its surrounding community,

Two compensatory school days are scheduled on February 3 and March 10 for secondary-level students, while compensatory classes for kindergarten and primary-level students will be held on March 24 and April 7.

Nearly 50 percent of students were absent on Monday as parents were concerned over the air quality within the vicinity of the school. Concern over air quality was sparked after the illegal demolition of a roof in a land plot near the school. It quickly emerged that the roof’s sheeting was made of asbestos material.

The school head previously informed the Times that the school was not informed of any kind of demolition works related to any hazardous material, and that the occurrence was only realized because it was observed by one of its faculty members.

As previously reported by the Times, some parents were dissatisfied with the actions of both the school and the government – while also arguing that the site owner should be investigated for putting the public in danger.

A parent disclosed that school’s winter concerts, Open Day and football training sessions had also been held as normal despite the danger.

To address the matter, the DSPA had contacted a Hong Kong company to conduct air quality tests. The results of these tests were meant to be provided yesterday, according to the school head on Monday.

The DSEJ has also provided the school with air purifiers and anti-pollution masks.