EXTRACT FROM EDUCATION BUREAU CIRCULAR
NO. 5/2022

TROPICAL CYCLONES AND HEAVY PERSISTENT RAIN
ARRANGEMENTS FOR KINDERGARTENS AND DAY SCHOOLS

1. in the event of tropical cyclones and heavy persistent rain; and
2. upon change of weather conditions at the time of public examinations.

Special attention is drawn to the different arrangements in case of tropical cyclones and heavy persistent rain. The development of tropical cyclones is progressive and the effects are more lasting. With the announcement of suspension of schools in case of tropical cyclones, schools should arrange students to return home under safe conditions. For heavy persistent rain, however, adverse situation could develop quickly and dissipate quickly. Therefore, schools should continue their lessons when red/black rainstorm signal is issued during lesson time and should not send students home immediately. (Please refer to paragraphs 5 and 7 below for detailed arrangements.)

TROPICAL CYCLONES

Schools should listen to radio or television announcements when tropical cyclones affect Hong Kong.

The following general arrangements will apply and appropriate public announcements will be made:

Weather condition Action to be taken When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 is issued

• All schools, including kindergartens, are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.

When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is issued *

• Classes of kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to be suspended.
• Other schools are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.

When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Pre-No. 8 / No. 8 or above is issued *

• Classes of all schools are to be suspended.

When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is replaced by Signal No. 3

• Classes of all kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to remain suspended.
• Unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day, other schools are to resume if Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 3 has been issued before 5:30 a.m. (for AM and whole-day schools) / 10:30 a.m. (for PM schools)

When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is replaced by Signal No. 1 or when all tropical cyclone signals are cancelled.

• All schools are to resume with the next session unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day.

If students have already set out for school when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is issued, kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability should activate the contingency plan to ensure that school premises will be open and arrange staff to look after the students who have arrived at school, until proper arrangements are made for these students to return home at an appropriate time under safe conditions. The same applies to all schools if the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Pre-No. 8 / No. 8 is issued when students have already set out for school.

HEAVY PERSISTENT RAIN

Schools should pay particular attention to the announcements made via the radio, television or mobile application “GovHK Notifications” during rainstorms. For more detailed information regarding rainfall distribution, schools may visit the following HKO webpage URL: https://www.hko.gov.hk/en/sitemap.html

In the event of rainstorms, the following general arrangements will apply and the EDB will make appropriate public announcements accordingly:
Rainstorm Warning Signal Action to be taken

When Amber Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued

• All schools, including kindergartens, are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.

When Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued

1. From 5:30 a.m. onwards and before 6:00 a.m.
   • Classes of AM and whole-day schools are to be suspended all day.
   • Students who have not left for school should stay home.
   • Schools should implement contingency measures and arrange staff to look after the students who might arrive at school and ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
2. From 6:00 a.m. onwards and before 8:00 a.m.
   • Students of AM and whole-day schools do not have to attend school that day.
   • Students who have not left for school should stay home
   • Schools are required to keep their premises open and implement contingency measures to look after students who have arrived at school.
   • If students learn about the class suspension announcement on their way to school, they should decide whether to proceed with their journey to school taking into consideration the rain, road, slope or traffic conditions.
   • Students who have already arrived at school should remain in school until it is safe for them to return home.
   • Parents do not need to pick up their children from school immediately.
3. From 8:00 a.m. onwards and before 10:30 a.m.
   • PM schools will be closed.
   • AM and Whole-day schools should continue the lessons until the end of normal school hours and should ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
4. From 10:30 a.m. onwards and before 11:00 a.m.
   • Classes of PM schools are to be suspended.
   • Students of PM schools who have not left for school should stay home.
   • AM and whole-day schools should continue the lessons until the end of normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
5. From 11:00 a.m. onwards and before 1:00 p.m.
   • Students of PM schools do not have to attend school that day.
   • Students of PM schools who have not left for school should stay home.
   • PM schools are required to keep their premises open and arrange staff to look after the students who have arrived at school. They ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
   • If students learn about the class suspension announcement on their way to school, they should decide whether to proceed with their journey to school taking into consideration the rain, road, slope or traffic conditions.
   • Students who have already arrived at school should remain in school until it is safe for them to return home.
   • Parents do not need to pick up their children from school immediately.
   • AM and whole-day schools should continue the lessons until the end of normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home
6. From 1:00 p.m. onwards
   All schools should continue the lessons until the end of the normal school hours and should ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.

School heads may exercise their discretion on closure of schools should local weather, road, slope, traffic or transport conditions warrant the closure of a school and a general announcement has not been made by the EMB, or giving allowance to affected students for being late or absent from school due to inclement weather.

Parents should be advised that they should exercise their discretion in deciding whether or not to send their children to school at the time of inclement weather. They should keep their children at home if they consider that local weather, road, slope, traffic or transport conditions at that time are still not completely normal.