Thousands of Hong Kong students begin week-long pro-democracy class boycott

In protest against China's stance on electoral reform in Hong Kong, thousands of students in the city have started a week-long boycott of classes.

Tens of thousands of students from more than two dozen universities and tertiary institutions will be taking part in the pro-democracy boycott.

According to the BBC, the boycott is being organised by groups such as the Hong Kong Federation of Students and Scholarism.

The student-protest is seen as a prelude to the larger protest scheduled for 1 October by

pro-democracy group Occupy Central.

As part of the protest, student groups are also planning to conduct rallies and public lectures in a park near government offices.

While the Chinese government had earlier promised direct elections for Hong Kong's leader by 2017, protests broke out after it later ruled that voters will have to choose from a list of two or three candidates selected by a nominating committee, the report added.