Twelfth graders in Hà Nội's Việt Đức High School went back to school yesterday after the Tết holiday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội high school students in grade 12 returned to school on Monday after the Lunar New Year holiday and a long period of online learning due to COVID-19.

Following the decision of the city People's Committee, students from the 7th grade and above in the inner city districts will also resume in-person classes starting Tuesday. 

Meanwhile, pupils of grades one to six in 12 urban districts and those in high-risk areas will continue to study online, while preschool children will stay home.

In person learning will resume for pupils from the first to sixth grades in 18 suburban districts and towns of Hà Nội from February 10.

On February 5, vice chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chử Xuân Dũng signed a document agreeing with the Department of Education and Training's proposal to allow pupils from the first to sixth grades to come back to school.

The city People’s Committee asked the department to coordinate with the Department of Health to guide the district-level People’s Committees to observe anti-pandemic regulations during in-person learning activities.

Hà Nội’s suburban localities are Ba Vì, Chương Mỹ, Đan Phượng, Đông Anh, Gia Lâm, Hoài Đức, Mê Linh, Mỹ Đức, Phú Xuyên, Phúc Thọ, Quốc Oai, Sóc Sơn, Sơn Tây, Thạch Thất, Thanh Oai, Thanh Trì, Thường Tín and Ứng Hòa.

According to the latest COVID risk evaluation, Đại Thành Commune in Quốc Oai District is still classed high risk level, while the rest are considered at low or medium risk.

Nguyễn Khắc Thắng, head of Education and Training Department of Quốc Oai District, said: "All schools have good preparations and specific plans to welcome students. Đại Thành Commune alone can be flexible in its teaching plan to ensure learning for students."

Schools are requested to meet safety requirements against COVID-19. Only fully vaccinated teachers can lead in-person classes.

Students will spend only half of a day at school. The city requires schools not to conduct day-boarding services or open canteens.

The Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of districts were asked to prepare plans to respond to COVID-19 infections in schools. They are authorised to decide on the closure of schools if necessary.

Earlier, the Hà Nội People's Committee decided to allow students from grades 7 to 12 to return to school from February 8.

The committee's decision for students to return to school after Tết also received support from most of the students' parents.

"The school has sent a notice to the parents about the teaching plan for the students as well as the response plans to the pandemic at school when the students go back to school after Tết. Our family and my daughter herself are looking forward to going back to school," said Nguyễn Thị Lệ, the mother of a 9th grade student at Lĩnh Nam Secondary School.

Schools in Hà Nội rehearsed welcoming back seventh graders and above before the Tết holiday. 

High students in many other localities, including HCM City, Cà Mau, Bến Tre, Vĩnh Long, Đồng Tháp, Bạc Liêu, Cần Thơ, Ninh Thuận also returned to schools on Monday. — VNS