Education authority hints school reopening might not wait on Guangdong

The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) hinted over the weekend that it might amend the criteria for school resumption. At the daily press conference yesterday, Lei Chin Ion, director of the Health Bureau (SSM), expressed his understanding of the education regulator’s decision.

Previously, the DSEJ had stated that schools would resume only if two criteria were met: there must be no new infections in the neighboring Guangdong province for a period of 14 days, and the cities of Zhuhai and Zhongshan must both resume classes.

After meeting with education associations, the DSEJ has changed its position slightly and has said that it may change the criteria for school resumption. According to the education regulator, the associations suggested that it had referenced neighboring cities only and omitted those further away. They believed that the disease would not disappear.

Yuen Kwok-yung, a professor of microbiology at the University of Hong Kong, made a similar comment yesterday.

Yuen said that the Covid-19 epidemic would not end soon. He foresees the situation in Macau improving in the summer, however, he believes the disease will spread to the Southern Hemisphere as it enters autumn and winter. When the cooler seasons return to the Northern Hemisphere, the disease may return as well.

Given that most cases in the neighboring city were imported to Hong Kong, the microbiologist reminds people to refrain from travelling and be mindful of their personal hygiene. In Yuen’s opinion, this tactic will buy scientists time to produce and test vaccines and medicines.

He also pointed out that accurate education on personal hygiene can help society return to normal faster. With adequate hand washing and other adjunct measures, school resumption should not cause major problems.

At yesterday’s press conference, aside from referring to Yuen’s comment to explain his bureau’s position on school resumption, the SSM director also noted that it was a difficult decision to determine how tight or lax a measure should be.

“The best scenario is to have no new cases in the whole world. However, it seems that is not possible,” Lei said. “If we insist on waiting for that day, perhaps all students will never have the chance to return to school.”

Lei emphasized that the government’s strategy would constantly be adjusted to suit the situation. “For example, on day one, we said wearing a mask at all times is not necessary. But as the situation developed, we amended our suggestions,” the director recalled.

“With several days clean [of new cases] in Guangdong, should we reset our clock?” Lei asked.

Based on these comments, he came to the conclusion that society’s activities cannot be suspended for an indefinite length of time. “A society that doesn’t operate will severely affect people’s daily life,” the director noted.

However, Elsie Ao Ieong U, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, has noted that the criteria for university resumption has not changed – at least officially. School resumption for higher education will still follow the two aforementioned criteria.

The Higher Education Bureau (DSES), meanwhile, is also working to help Macau students studying abroad.

As far as Lei knows, the DSES has been in contact with the parents of these students and is also coordinating the sale of facemasks to these students.

Ten masks are available for Macau residents and legal foreign workers at the price of 8 patacas within each 10-day period. Purchases can only be made upon presentation of a valid ID card.

In a statement released by the DSES, overseas Macau students are eligible to purchase facemasks through their parents. “Overseas Macau students should have their ID with them,” the SSM director noted.

Prior registrations must be made on the DSES’s website, before purchasing facemasks between March 8 and 12 at the Macau Polytechnic Institute.

After their purchases, the parents of these students can approach the designated counters at post offices to mail the facemasks to their children.