Hong Kong kindergartens run by ESF to resume face-to-face classes ahead of schedule following U-turn by authorities
- Pupils to return to classrooms at five ESF kindergartens on Wednesday, with original plan for gradual return of children in May scrapped
- ESF kindergartens previously faced late start to in-person classes due to having different registration from other international counterparts
Five kindergartens run by Hong Kong’s biggest international school group will resume face-to-face classes from Wednesday, six days ahead of schedule, after education authorities amended their previous decision amid complaints of unfair treatment.
The announcement on Tuesday by the English Schools Foundation (ESF) came after parents of pupils at the five kindergartens complained that their children would be forced to wait until May to resume in-person classes.
“ESF has been liaising closely with [the Education Bureau] and we have now secured the permission of our regional education officers to have 100 per cent of children attending face-to-face classes from Wednesday 27th April,” the school group said in a notice to parents.
The ESF kindergartens were previously unable to resume face-to-face classes in mid-April because they had a different registration from their other international counterparts. The five centres teach about 1,500 pupils in total.
“All previous plans for reconnection sessions and 50 per cent class schedules are now replaced by all children attending school continuously from tomorrow. There will be no online learning provided after today,” the group said.
Earlier this month, the government announced that international and primary schools could return to in-person teaching as early as April 19.
