Education Bureau steps in after students wait in rain for uniform and hair checks

Hong Kong education authorities have reminded a school to consider the needs of students when enforcing rules after many were forced to wait in a long line outside the campus in the rain to have their uniforms and hair checked on the first day of the new academic year.

The Education Bureau also made a similar call to another school, where students deemed to have failed with hair grooming rules were told to remain on campus until they could contact their parents.

Dozens of online posts showed a long queue of students standing outside the campus of Kowloon Tong School (Secondary Section) on Tuesday, with some claiming they were waiting for teachers to inspect their uniforms and hair.

Teresa Hon Pui-yee, the school principal, sent a letter to parents later that day defending the inspections, although she noted the school had since reviewed the process.

“In order to establish discipline, cultivate students’ sense of responsibility, and prepare for the student photo shoot on Thursday, class teachers reminded all parents and students [last] Saturday that the school would conduct a uniform inspection on Tuesday,” she said.

However, she explained that because a relatively large number of students arrived at a later time on Tuesday, they were required to queue outside the campus to wait. She pledged that students would not be marked as late if they tapped their cards when school started.

Hon maintained that students should arrive at school early to ensure sufficient time to hand in assignments and prepare learning materials, which she said would help their education and physical and mental well-being.