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The Education and Manpower Bureau played the role of a leader, an adviser,
as well as a partner with schools in combating SARS when the disease broke
out early in the year. It was committed to ensuring that all schools had
put in place an effective mechanism, with implementation strategies, to
guard against the disease.
A Central Task Force on SARS was set up at the outset
to facilitate the formulation of counter measures and to monitor the situation.
The bureau worked in close collaboration with relevant government departments,
in particular the Department of Health, in formulating a series of effective
counter measures. These included requiring schools to report any cases
of SARS, drawing up contingency plans for an emergency situation, disinfecting
school premises, home confinement of affected persons, suspension and
resumption of classes, and special holiday arrangements. Parents were
also required to check their children's temperature before they left home
for school.
To answer public enquiries, eight telephone hotlines
were set up at the peak of the outbreak. A reporting mechanism was also
put in place to enhance effective communication between the bureau, the
schools and the Department of Health. Furthermore, to ensure that schools
would maintain a state of heightened awareness at all times, a comprehensive
Handbook on Prevention of SARS in Schools was compiled and uploaded
to the bureau's website. This provided schools and parents a ready reference
to all related anti-SARS measures as well as to guidelines on such aspects
as environmental hygiene and personal hygiene and the need to keep school
buses clean.
The bureau rendered a wide range of support and assistance
to schools and students. Special funding was obtained to assist schools
in taking all necessary precautionary measures against the spread of SARS
such as the purchase of masks, ear thermometers and chlorine tablets.
To facilitate self-learning by students at home during the period when
classes were suspended, the bureau, in collaboration with various institutions
and organisations, provided web-based self-access learning materials and
programmes. In addition, to educate students in the context of the SARS
outbreak, teaching kits were produced to enable students to heighten their
awareness and strengthen their ability in crisis management as well as
to enhance their commitment to the community. A set of guidance activities
to help pupils to cope with the situation and build up a school culture
against adversity was also provided. To enhance communication, meetings
were held with school councils as well as the Committee on Home-School
Co-operation and the federations of Parent-Teacher Associations to exchange
views. Before classes resumed, briefings were also arranged to ensure
schools and parents were prepared for the students' return.
The concerted efforts of schools, parents and the
bureau proved effective: no students or staff members contracted SARS
in the schools during the outbreak. |
