Face Off: Should schools resume full-day classes under the pandemic?
- Each week, two of our readers debate a hot topic in a debate that doesn’t necessarily reflect their personal viewpoint
- This week, students discuss whether Hong Kong pupils should head back to campus for full-day lessons
Students in Hong Kong have gone back to the classroom part-time, but there’s some debate over whether full-day lessons should resume any time soon. If you are interested in joining future Face Off debates, fill out this form to submit your application.
FOR: Yuhan Huang, 15, German Swiss International School
Such a move will benefit both parents and students. Full-day, face-to-face classes can help improve students’ learning skills and mental health, while offering support for parents who have full-time jobs and have little time to monitor their children’s education.
Students can do well in their studies when they are in a familiar environment for a longer period of time. This means they can interact more with other students and
their teachers.
After more than a year of online learning, many students have missed out on socialising with their peers. They have been stuck at home without any real interaction with the outside world. This could lead to stress, anxiety and depression.
Students head back to school for half-day sessions
In addition, there is the danger that teachers may overload students with homework and assignments to compensate for fewer lessons.
If full-day classes are reintroduced, students will be able to meet their friends during lunch and attend extracurricular activities. School life will return to normal.
Full-day classes also help underprivileged students who might not have the resources needed for online learning. Many of them may fall behind due to distractions at home.
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Taking part in physical lessons is a great way to help students with learning difficulties, too. Also, it can help students with disabilities, such as those who are visually impaired. They need teachers to guide them in using Braille or other study methods.
The pandemic is well under control in Hong Kong. So there is no reason for schools not to resume full-day classes. That is the most sensible option the government can introduce under the present conditions.
So let’s have full-day classes for all students from this month, please.
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AGAINST: Reese Wong, 17, Sha Tin College
To fulfil the government’s “zero-Covid” strategy, I believe that schools should not resume full-day classes.
Hundreds of students getting together for at least eight hours a day increases the risk of transmission, particularly among the unvaccinated. Schools may introduce social-distancing measures but it’s unlikely that students will follow the rules.
Some experts have argued that Zoom classes have allowed for greater flexibility and more effective learning.
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Instead of full-day lessons, the government should introduce a combination of face-to-face classes and online learning.
Despite instructions being online, the teacher is still able to deliver classroom lectures through the use of videoconferencing and remote teaching software. They can write on a screen, or ask students to answer questions, just like they would normally do during in-person classes.
Virtual learning, however, has its limitations and is not an ideal long-term solution.
For example, students are tired after looking at a computer screen for several hours a day and it is hard for them to concentrate for a long period of time, especially if they are not having interactive learning.
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But schools can help make this experience more engaging by supporting online-based extracurricular activities.
Under this “blended learning” model, students should be divided into groups according to their ages. For example, children under 12 have not yet been vaccinated. This makes them more susceptible to the coronavirus in comparison to other age groups. So they should not mix with older students in school.
To beat this deadly disease, we must not be complacent. Long-term gain requires short term sacrifices.