680,000 HCMC students may return to school after New Year holiday

The proposal by the municipal Department of Education and Training called for 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th graders to resume in-person classes starting January 3. A decision would be announced by Thursday.

At a Tuesday meeting between the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and local authorities regarding school reopening plans, most districts have agreed to reopen secondary and high schools starting January 3 as well.

If approved, over 680,000 students could return to classes after the New Year holiday.

Previously, around 150,000 9th and 12th graders in the city have returned to school starting December 13. Two weeks after schools reopened, 47 Covid-19 cases were detected among the schools in 15 districts, including 40 students.

The education department however said appropriate Covid-19 responses have been taken, ensuring safety.

Despite recent surveys showing only around 30-40 percent of parents agree with letting their children go back to classes, several schools have said they were ready to reopen classes starting January 3, as they have prepared safe responses and more students have returned to classes than the surveys expected.