In a post-COVID measure, the Chinese government has opted to allow students to attend classes remotely to ensure they do not catch a cold.
“I prefer studying online, it is more efficient and easier, I do not have to wake up early to get ready, I just turn on my computer and start my lesson,” Khoe Yue Yuan, a 14-year-old student, told Rudaw on Saturday,
“Going to school can spread viruses and diseases, so I prefer online studying,” she added.
Snowfall and low temperatures in northern China have prompted authorities in the capital Beijing to cancel over 150 train journeys, and called on people to stay home.
Around 22 million people live in Beijing, out of which nearly 7.2 million are students. Parents hope online education will not continue for much longer and that their children will return to the classrooms soon.
“I would like for the children to attend school because besides the education they will have better social relationships with other children, so I hope they can go back to school as soon as possible,” said Yu Hongyang, the student’s mother.
“Taking online courses is also a good option now, because Beijing is a big city, and transporting children in the snowy weather is very annoying,” she added.
Snow blocked at least 126 highways across several northern provinces in China, with about 32,000 tons of snow-melting agents covering 16,000 kilometers of Beijing's internal roads to keep people traveling safely.
This is the second snow wave to strike northern and central China this week, with temperatures likely to fall to minus 18 degrees Celsius, the Beijing Municipality said.
