All cross-border students return to HK campuses

Cross-border students walk in line at Luohu Checkpoint on their way to attend school in Hong Kong on Wednesday. File photo

Cross-border students in primary schools, kindergartens and special schools returned to their Hong Kong campuses to attend face-to-face classes starting Wednesday, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

According to government arrangements, cross-border secondary school students returned to Hong Kong starting Feb. 8.

Two weeks after the senior students returned, junior students, as well as those from special schools were at the checkpoints early morning on Wednesday. Children in various school uniforms were seen as early as 6:30 a.m. at Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint. A student surnamed Cai excitedly said: “My classmates are much taller now than my first impression.”

The number of students traveling through Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint has reached 1,400 daily, with age ranging from 10 to 15, according to the report.

On the same day, about 800 students were led by nanny company staffers to clear customs at Futian Checkpoint.

At present, about 4,000, 130 and 700 schoolchildren leave Shenzhen through Futian, Huanggang and Wenjindu checkpoints every day respectively.

Cross-border school buses also resumed their businesses. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Shenzhen Cross-border School Bus Co. Ltd. is one of the companies responsible for transporting 290 students via Liantang Checkpoint.

One of the staffers in charge of business, surnamed Liu said: “Cross-border students have stopped face-to-face schooling for three years and has affected our business. I am also thrilled just like the students when they return to their Hong Kong campuses!” The company has seven buses transporting students from Shenzhen to Hong Kong on weekdays.

Cross-border students refer to students who have permanent resident status in Hong Kong, go to school in Hong Kong, but live on the mainland.

At the beginning of 2020, after the suspension of most customs clearances at checkpoints between Shenzhen and Hong Kong due to COVID-19, about 20,000 cross-border students stopped crossing the border and online classes have become their routine for three years.