EXTRACT FROM EDUCATION BUREAU CIRCULAR (NO. 4/2016)
TROPICAL CYCLONES AND HEAVY PERSISTENT RAIN
ARRANGEMENTS FOR KINDERGARTENS AND DAY SCHOOLS
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.
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:
If students have already set out for school when the No. 3 signal is issued, kindergartens, schools for physically handicapped children and schools for mentally handicapped children should activate the contingency plan to ensure that school premises will be open and staffed until proper arrangements are made for arriving students to return home at an appropriate time. The same applies to all schools if the Pre-No. 8 / No. 8 signal is issued when students have already set out for school.
HEAVY PERSISTENT RAIN
Schools should listen to radio or television announcements regularly during rainstorms. For more detailed information regarding rainfall distribution, schools may visit the webpage of the Hong Kong Observatory at the following URL: https://www.hko.gov.hk/en/sitemap.html?menu=1
In the event of rainstorms, the following general arrangements will apply and appropriate public announcements will be made:
Rainstorm Warning Signal Action to be taken
AMBER
Unless the Education and Manpower Bureau has made special announcement on closure of schools, all schools, including kindergartens, will operate as usual.
RED OR BLACK
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.
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