Collaboration needed

According to Shirley Yip, a Hong Kong educator who co-founded the center 11 years ago, there're now about 100 cross-border students at the facility, accounting for 30 percent of its total number of students.

Previously, the center did not offer courses especially for cross-border students, but it started specialized classes to help students improve on their weak subjects to meet the growing demand due to the pandemic. Many Shenzhen private educational institutions also provide such services, Yip said.

So Ping-fai, principal of Tin Shui Wai Methodist Primary School, said that although the travel restrictions are still in force, many schools with cross-border students still want to offer equal education to students. With only 50 students in Shenzhen, one-tenth of its overall number of students, the school has conducted two examinations for them with the help of ISS, a key partner of the school.

But with the lack of a network across the border and the coordination of authorities, most schools have problems in finding suitable Shenzhen partners to help the students, according to So. Some have tried to use "sister schools" or directly contact private organizations, but in vain.

It's only through the coordination of local groups, such as the ISS and the New Territories School Heads Association, that most of the schools with cross-border students have been able to do so.

Despite the challenge, So believes that such collaboration, a fresh experience for many schools, is worthwhile. As the pandemic persists, schools will continue to offer better support for students with the help of Shenzhen organizations. He said he believes that even after the pandemic is gone, more collaboration in after-school learning and growth is needed.

Despite the hiccups, So is delighted that most of the cross-border students at his school are doing well. This is partly because of their tenacity cultivated through years of cross-border school life. Along the road to better education, he's confident that such a spirit will give them the strength to ride it out and grow stronger.