A local primary school’s proposal to host an overnight World Cup viewing event on campus has prompted mixed reactions among internet users, with supporters praising it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience and critics raising practical and health concerns.
The debate emerged after a notice issued by a primary school circulated on social media on Saturday.
According to the document, the school plans to host a “World Cup Night” on July 15 during the summer holidays, allowing students to watch what appears to be a semi-final match.
The school stated that the activity aims to let pupils experience the vibrant atmosphere of a major sports event, cultivate sportsmanship, and foster home-school cooperation and parent-child relationships.
The notice specifies an assembly time of 2.30am and a dismissal time of 6am, with students required to wear sports uniforms or football jerseys.
The school stressed that the notice is currently an opinion survey to gauge parental interest, adding that a formal event notice will only be issued on June 26 if enrollment numbers are sufficient.
Online reaction to the unconventional school activity has been divided. Enthused netizens lauded the activity for fulfilling a “childhood fantasy”, with comments praising the school for being down-to-earth and adventurous.
“Aside from university, how often do you get to stay up all night at school, let alone a primary school? It’s a rare chance to pull an all-nighter without getting scolded,” one user wrote.
However, skeptics raised immediate practical and health concerns regarding the late-night event for young children. One netizen pointed out the grueling schedule that requires parents to handle drop-offs late at night and pick-ups at dawn.
Some also said that the MTR train service shuts down long before 2.30am, forcing families to rely on alternative transportation such as overnight buses or red minibus.
