All schools to reopen this month

Students of Thanh Quan Secondary School in Hà Nội start their first day of offline learning on Tuesday after a long period of studying online. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo 

HÀ NỘI — All 63 cities and provinces in the country plan to reopen schools in February after many months of closure due to the pandemic, the Ministry of Education and Training said on Monday.

53 localities have announced plans to resume in-person learning for students at preschools and primary schools between February 7 and 14.

All higher education institutions have developed plans to welcome back their students from February 14.

Meanwhile, all high school students nationwide returned to in-person learning from February 7.

In Hà Nội, more than 600,000 students from grades 7 to 12 returned to school for in-person learning on Tuesday after nearly 10 months of studying offline at home due to COVID-19. On Monday, only 12th graders in the capital city returned to schools.

Schools nationwide assigned staff at gates to measure student temperatures and sterilise their hands before entering classes.

Provincial departments of education and training across the country have been assigned to provide guidelines for schools to deal with potential COVID-19 outbreaks and support schools and families to devise specific teaching plans.

Schools have been asked to provide mental health counselling services for students, strengthen their physical activities, and help them revise lessons after months of remote learning.

The Ministry of Education and Training will inspect a number of localities to ensure offline learning meets COVID-19 prevention and control regulations.

Due to the pandemic, nearly 20 million pupils and students were forced to suspend going to school and switched to online learning for many months.

Hà Nội’s 1st-6th graders set for school return

Students from the first to sixth grades in 12 urban districts of Hà Nội will return to school for in-person learning from February 21, according to a new proposal.

The proposal was made by the capital’s Department of Education and Training at a virtual meeting on Monday following the municipal authority’s decision to allow students in 18 suburban districts and towns to go back to school from February 10.

The meeting also reviewed the preparation for the resumption of face-to-face learning for seventh to twelfth graders in the city from Tuesday.

The proposal will need approval from the municipal People’s Committee and will be implemented after assessment of in-person instructions in the outlying districts and towns.

If realised, all of Hà Nội’s K12 students – roughly 2 million students – will have fully returned to schools after 10 months’ absence due to the pandemic.

No plan has been made public on the resumption of kindergartens.

Reports from education and training offices of 30 local towns and districts showed that all work had been completed to welcome back students in line with COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

More than 99 per cent of teachers, educational staff, and students at secondary and high schools in Hà Nội have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. — VnExpress News