Last night, education bureaus in the following districts of Guangzhou released a ‘mask off’ announcement, saying that students no longer need wear masks on campus. The news cheered up Guangzhou’s parents. This morning, students in many primary and secondary schools have taken off their masks.

Yuexiu District

According to the Education Bureau of Yuexiu District, students and teachers in primary and secondary schools do not need to wear masks on campus. However, other staff including school guards, cleaners and cafeteria workers, should keep wearing masks. From now on, students only need to wear a mask on their journey between home and school.

A reporter from Southern Metropolis Daily interviewed staff and students at Guangzhou Tieyi Middle School this morning. The reporter found out that most of the students who had come back to the school took off their masks, with a small number of students opting to still wear masks.

‘Students can decide for themselves whether they want to take off their masks,’ said a teacher from Guangzhou Tieyi Middle School. The school's other measures still stay in force, namely, going to/leaving school in waves, keeping social distancing, and sending meals to the classroom, instead of dining together in the canteen.

Students and the teacher in Guangzhou Tieyi Middle School take off their masks in class. (Southern Metropolis DailyFeng Zhoufeng)

Liwan District

Personnel in primary and secondary schools need to keep spare masks with them. Students and teachers need not wear masks. However, other staff including school guards, cleaners and cafeteria workers, should keep wearing masks.

In Nanjiao Primary School, students take off their masks in the class. (Source: Nanjiao Primary School)

‘Epidemic prevention requirements cannot be relaxed even for a moment, before further notice is released by the government department,’ said the principal of Guangya Primary School in Liwan District. As usual, this school still measures students’ temperature in both the morning and afternoon, and requires social distancing. After students’ temperature is measured and health conditions ensured, each class can take off their masks on a voluntary basis.

Baiyun District

Students and teachers in primary and secondary schools need not wear masks. Other staff, however, should keep wearing masks. All personnel should keep spare medical masks with them.

In childcare institutions, kids are not suggested to wear masks, while teachers, school guards, cleaners, cafeteria workers, health care service providers and doctors should keep wearing masks.

Moreover, all schools and kindergartens will implement self-enclosed management. Hygienic habits and epidemic prevention measures should never be relaxed.

Panyu District

The Education Bureau of Panyu District announced, it’s not recommended that children wear masks owing to the special physiological characteristics of young children. Each kindergarten can decide rules around taking off masks according to actual situation, and should note that in principle kids does not need to wear masks when eating, exercising or sleeping.

Huangpu, Conghua & Nansha District

Starting from May 29th, all personnel in primary and secondary schools need to keep spare medical masks with them. Students and teachers need not wear masks. Other staff, however, should keep wearing masks.

In Liuxi Middle School of Conghua District, students and the teacher take off masks. (Photo: Nanfang Plus)

Author: Hannah

Editor: Simon, Nan