Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, at a media session at the Central Government Offices today (July 20):
Reporter: Just a few English questions. First, on the release of DSE (Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education) results, why can't the examination results be released by the Government, for example, on a single website? Instead the Government is asking schools to do it individually according to ways that allow them to do so. Second question: The Government will have to make an announcement in two weeks' time on whether classes can really resume on August 17. But is two weeks really enough as some kind of buffer time to see how the epidemic unfolds? Third question involves the cross-boundary students. Some critics are saying that the quarantine-free exemptions are to be blamed for this current wave of infections. So is it safe to let the arrangement continue for some of the cross-boundary students (CBS)?
Secretary for Education: On the first question about the DSE Examination results, the whole arrangement is organised by the HKEAA (Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority); it is not organised by the Government. So I will refer your suggestions to the HKEAA for their consideration for future DSE results release arrangements. You asked about whether two weeks will be enough. I could not answer you at this moment. I could only say that we at least need two weeks to assess whether we could resume schooling, for those schools to resume their new school year, on August 17. Of course, I can say a longer time, but I would like to cut that as short as possible. So initially I say we will make it. We will have another look and try to make a decision before the end of this month.
On cross-boundary students, I must emphasise that all cross-boundary students, before coming to Hong Kong, have to go through a test every seven days on the Mainland side. So in theory they are clean. So far, we have not seen a case that is caused by our CBS.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
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