As Alice Cooper sings in the first two lines of his 1972 hit single “School’s Out” “Well, we got no choice, all the girls and boys” so it is in Macau due to the COVID-19 prevention measures the government is taking. But according to two teenagers The Macau Post Daily spoke to, “It is boring!”
Since local schools broke up for the Chinese New Year holiday late last month, the COVID-19 epidemic has become a major issue and in a number of measures Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng ordered all schools to be closed sine die , the government has been shut down apart from essential services and 10 facemasks are being sold to residents and non-resident workers for 8 patacas every 10 days.
In response to the government’s call for everyone to stay at home, many shops and some hotels and guesthouses have closed their doors to ensure the public’s safety. Residents too have been heeding the government’s constant reminders to stay at home, to avoid crowded places and always wear a facemask when outside so that the city can fight this insidious virus as one.
You would think that pupils would be happy with this extended “holiday” – but it seems that they are bored. Although teachers have been posting lessons online for the children to do, The Macau Post Daily spoke to two teenagers about how they are spending their time during their enforced break.
Elvis Kam Sin Hang, a F1 pupil at Chan Sui Ki Perpetual Help College, said on Tuesday, “I want to go back to school now.” When asked why, Elvis said, “The work that the teachers are giving us is really hard”.
When asked why, he said that the teachers were giving them new things to learn. This is despite the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) urging teachers to just go over revision work with the pupils during this period.
Elvis also said he was reading books unrelated to school work, playing computer games with his friends, sleeping and eating. “Not going out is really hard”, he added.
Yuet Wah College F2 pupil Christopher Ieong Chi Hou said on Saturday, “I spend two- or three-hours doing homework every day, I watch movies some days and play video games.”
Christopher also said, “I would prefer to be at school now as I am getting bored not being able to go out.”
Both boys said that although they were going to bed at their usual times, they were both sleeping late. They also said that their brains were a little sluggish.As Cooper sings,
“Well, we got no class
And we got no principals
We ain’t got no intelligence
We can’t even think of a word that rhymes.”
Elvis did say, “I want to go to school now, but the same as the summer holidays the week before I have to go back, I don’t want to go. Then when I get there [school] I am happy to see my friends for a couple of days then I want a holiday again.”
Christopher Ieong Chi Hou plays the video game Ghost Recon:Wildland at home last week. Both photos provided by the boys’ parents
