Foundational education, with the exception of nursery schools, will start the new school year gradually from September, the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau announced yesterday.
Guidelines on hygiene and sanitization have been distributed to schools, the education regulator said. Training has also been given to teaching and other staff members.
Students and parents are encouraged to depart early on school commencement day in order to avoid congestion or any other deterrence.
However, it is worth noting that the education bureau has ordered suspension of children younger than three years old from going to school. There are about 1,000 such pupils, the education bureau disclosed.
Small children under the age of three should stay at home until they reach that age, meaning that school commencement at the particular education level shall be gradual. Once they reach three years old, they will be allowed immediately to go to school provided that school is in operation.
With regard to nursery schools, the Social Welfare Bureau does not see satisfactory conditions for school year commencement for public and subsidized nursery schools. Private nursery schools are not managed by the bureau.
As for higher education, it is at the individual institution’s discretion which date the new school will start.
The Higher Education Bureau revealed that it has registered 178 local students who study at 14 institutions in Portugal. Most of them fear the epidemic response in the European country and decided not to start their new school year.
After communications with the Portuguese education authorities, the bureau announced that some institutions would accept applications for postponement of school year commencement or for deferment of the school year.
The bureau recommends students contact Macau’s office in Lisbon for future assistance.
Meanwhile, local residents undergoing quarantine-upon-arrival for the second time shall be charged MOP5,600 from September 1. First-time quarantine will still be free of charge for local residents. However, they must have remained in Macau for at least 183 days within the last 365 days in order to enjoy the privilege.
The 183-day requirement can be bypassed if the residents are out of Macau for registered formal education, hospitalization, work with a social security-registered local employer or for the purpose of fulfilling official responsibilities.
Meanwhile, residents returning after an official mission shall be exempted from paying even if they are quarantined for the second time. Other residents can apply for a waiver with sufficient reason.
The 21st round of centralized mask supply will commence this coming Sunday. Manner and points of sale, price, as well as quantity and duration of this round are identical to that of the 20th round.
Residents and non-resident workers can obtain 30 facemasks with MOP24 within the 30 days following Sunday.
The government sold 16.5 million facemasks in the 20th round and 125 million in the first 20 rounds.
Previously, amid the resumption of Macau travel endorsement on the mainland, the government decided to conduct Covid-19 testing in respect of frontline casino workers. So far, 53,025 such workers have been tested. A remaining minority will be tested in the next few days. Meanwhile, a total of 32,366 people have been tested at the various test locations.
As issuance of Macau travel endorsement has resumed in Zhuhai and applications for the endorsement across Guangdong, the local border control authority recorded 9,800 visitor arrivals and 8,900 departures on August 26. Compared with data from the previous day, it was on the rise, hinting that more visitors are entering Macau from the mainland.
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