A special quarantine arrangement expected to be announced within two weeks will allow Hong Kong students to return to universities on the Chinese mainland on time for the new semester, a source familiar with the matter told China Daily on Monday.
The source said there is a good chance that “optimistic” discussions between the Education Bureau and mainland authorities could lead to Hong Kong students’ not needing to vie to be among the 2,000 people a day allowed to enter the mainland under pandemic-related travel restrictions.
As the summer vacation comes to an end, many Hong Kong students who studied on the mainland found themselves unable to return to their respective campuses because they couldn’t make a reservation at a mainland quarantine hotel.
Esther Ki Si-qi, 19, a junior at Jinan University in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, already missed the new semester’s registration on Monday as she is still in Hong Kong due to her inability to book a room in a quarantine hotel. Ki said she is stressed about missing more classes.
Without a special arrangement for cross-border students, Ki said her best hope is for “additional compassionate quotas”, which the Shenzhen government introduced on July 8 to facilitate the entry of eight specific groups, including the elderly, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses. Several of Ki’s peers have successfully applied to enter the mainland through the program.
Many Hong Kong students may have to suspend their studies for a period of time or catch up on the learning progress by themselves, as universities do not have any special arrangements for them, Ki added.
Also affected by the travel restrictions is Tomson Lau Shing-ho, a doctoral student from Hong Kong who is enrolled at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. Lau said he has applied for a delay in graduation because of his inability to complete clinical experiments in person.
Lawmaker Kitson Yang Wing-kit said on Sunday that several Hong Kong students have successfully received permission to travel through the additional compassionate quota arrangement.
But unlike the university students, Lillian Kwok Ling-lai, a teacher turned legislator, said that many younger students, including those in kindergartens and primary schools, are unable to take advantage of the additional quota, as their guardians are not covered by the arrangement.
“Both Hong Kong and mainland laws require that this group of students be accompanied by an adult to cross the border,” Kwok said.
One option for this group is to take flights to mainland cities with their guardians. But there are not enough flights or seats available for them, Kwok added.
A quick search by China Daily found the soonest that one can fly from Hong Kong to Shanghai through Ctrip, a popular flight ticket-selling platform, is in January. A one-way flight from Hong Kong to Nanjing, Jiangsu province, costs about 18,000 yuan ($2,630), with only three flights available in the next 30 days.
Kwok hopes that mainland schools can rearrange registration dates for Hong Kong students, while suggesting that chartered flights for them to get back to the mainland be arranged.
Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said on Sunday the special administrative region government has initiated a series of measures to review with mainland authorities on the most appropriate assistance, including possible new arrangements for registration and classes.
Grateful for the support of the central government and the cooperation of various mainland authorities, Choi stressed that plans are being actively discussed, and that details will be announced “in a timely manner”.
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shumanchen@chinadailyhk.com