A class of the Viet Duc High School in Hanoi's Hoan Kiem district. Hanoi reopened junior and senior high schools on May 4 after a three-month closure (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Tensof millions of students from kindergartens to high schools nationwide returnedto school on May 4 morning after a three-month closure to prevent COVID-19transmission.
Among the 63 provinces and centrally-run citiesin the country, 18 reopened all schools on May 4, and more than 30 others thathave welcomed students between the sixth and 12th grades back since late Aprilnow continue to reopen kindergartens and primary schools.
Meanwhile, more than 10 localities, includingHanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, will resume operations of primary schools andkindergartens later.
In HCM City, more than 150,000 ninth and 12thgraders returned to school for the first time since the Lunar New Year holiday.
Most of local schools made use of the NationalReunification Day and May Day holiday from April 30 to May 3 to disinfectclassrooms and their campuses, prepare face masks for students, and installmore hand wash basins. Many schools rearranged desks while others had toconsider dividing classes into smaller ones to ensure the safe distance of onemetre among students.
In Hanoi, about 700,000 junior and senior highschools and establishments of continuing education were reopened on May 4.
Aside from disinfection, a number of schoolsalso changed the timetable of classes and continued with teaching via theinternet and television.
However, many schools that have reopened sincelate April said they are facing difficulties in keeping the minimum distance ofone metre among students due to the shortage of teachers and classrooms.
The Ministry of Education and Training recentlyissued 15 criteria for ensuring COVID-19 prevention and control at educationalestablishments. Any schools that are unable to meet more than seven criteriawill be assessed as unsafe and not allowed to operate.
Over the last three months, schools acrossVietnam have provided teaching via the internet and television.
More than 22 million students nationwide hadjust finished the 20th week of the 2019-2020 academic year when schools had toclosed down almost immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday due to the COVID-19pandemic. The school year was rescheduled to finish before July 15, one and ahalf months later than usual./.
VNA
