Some 800 primary and special schools in Hong Kong resumed classes on Monday after a six week-long precautionary closure imposed to prevent the spread of SARS.

About 250,000 Primary Four or above students and special school students who had stayed at home since March 29 returned to classes.

After inspecting the return of students to a school in the Sha Tin district this morning, Education and Manpower Secretary Arthur Li said he was very pleased with the precautionary measures adopted by all the schools.

The Education and Manpower Bureau required school teachers and parents to play their parts in class resumption by taking students' temperature daily and making sure that they are in good health.

They also asked parents to prepare for their children facemasks and tissues daily.

For Primary Three and below, schools for the mentally handicapped, kindergartens and child care centers, classes are scheduled to resume on May 19.

Senior secondary school students and junior secondary school students returned to classes on April 22 and April 29 respectively.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2003)