Deprived HK kids at losing end as virus widens digital divide

Celest Chan Wing-yin, assistant principal of the Salesians of Don Bosco Ng Siu Mui Secondary School, told China Daily the school in February found dozens of students having trouble with remote learning. Some had no mobile phones, and some had no internet access at home.

The circumstances that let kids from grassroots families fall behind disturbed Chan and her colleagues. "Schools should provide equal opportunities for students to study even under exceptional circumstances," she said.

The school bought SIM cards with data for the kids and urged families and school alumni to donate old computers to help low-income students.

According to Charles Chan Kin-hung, the school's executive director, 51 SIM cards had been handed out by early April. Eighteen second-hand computers were donated along with four new laptops.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is providing four months of free mobile data for more than 100,000 primary and secondary school students from grassroots families.

With the club's free SIM cards now available, Choi's children are doing better and can study at home. Some other children are less fortunate.

Though the situation is improving, it's not over yet. Celest Chan in early April said her school still hasn't collected enough devices for all the students in need.

She hopes Hong Kong people can help underprivileged families. "I hope grassroots students can make full use of the digital resources we have today," she said.