According to statistics from the Hong Kong Education Bureau, there are approximately 15,000 cross-border students. The International Social Service Hong Kong Branch (ISS-HK), which has been serving cross-border students and families since 2012, launched the “Cross-border Student Support Project on the First Day of School” for the first time with support from major ports in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, the project aims at helping make the students’ first journeys to schools in the school year as hassle-free as possible.

Support stations were arranged by ISS-HK at Liantang, Man Kam To, Lo Wu, Futian, Huanggang, and Shenzhen Bay Ports on early morning of 2 September to provide various supporting and consulting services to students and their parents, such as assisting them in dealing with lost identity documents, helping to contact schools where necessary, and answering any questions on welfare policies. In addition, the stations functioned as a means of public education, sharing information on topics like customs, parenting, and safety, while also offering emotional support and crisis management for students during emergencies.

Ms Iris Liu, the Programme Director of ISS-HK Cross-boundary and Inter-country Social Service, said: "After the pandemic, the needs of cross-border students have shifted from catching up on academic studies to their holistic development. This project marked the first collaboration between ISS-HK and major mainland ports, demonstrating that the relevant bodies are prioritizing needs of cross-border students. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts to strengthen the integration of Shenzhen and Hong Kong.”