First graders of Thịnh Liệt Primary School in Thanh Trì District on the first day at school after a long time of online learning due to COVID-19. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Pupils from the first to sixth graders in 17 suburban districts and towns of Hà Nội went back to school for in-person learning on Thursday after a long time of online learning due to COVID-19.

Vice-Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chử Xuân Dũng signed a document on February 5 agreeing with the Department of Education and Training’s proposal to allow pupils in 18 suburban districts from the first to sixth grades to return 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.

Around 2,000 students in Ba Vì District will go back to school on February 14 instead of February 10 as planned due to complicated developments of the pandemic in that location.

Schools are requested to meet safety requirements against COVID-19.

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

Students were very excited on the first day of returning to school. They all had temperature measured and hands sterilised before entering classes.

Nguyễn Minh Anh, first-grader of Đa Tốn Primary School in Gia Lâm District said: “I feel very excited to go to school. My mom told me to remember to follow 5K message.”

5K means "Khẩu trang" (face mask) - "Khử khuẩn" (disinfection) - "Khoảng cách" (distance) - "Không tụ tập" (no gathering) - "Khai báo y tế" (health declaration).

Principal of Đa Tốn School, Phùng Thị Anh Hà, said the school has 1,460 students in the 2021-2022 academic year, including 282 first graders. The school made well preparations to welcome students back.

On the first day, teachers would focus on introducing students to the school organisation arrangements and guide them in pandemic prevention and control measures.    

Deputy director of the municipal Department of Education and Training Phạm Xuân Tiến said all schools are well prepared to welcome students back. Apart from the requirement to strictly follow pandemic prevention and control measures, schools were also instructed to study plans to provide both online and offline learning for students when necessary.

High school students in grade 12 of Hà Nội returned to school on Monday while students from grades 7-12 started in-person learning on Tuesday.

The city has directed medical centres and stations to support medical staff at schools and give training to teachers and school staff on pandemic prevention and control measures, according to Vice Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee Dũng.

The Ministry of Education and Training has also issued guidelines for teaching at educational institutions and schools and applying measures to enhance teaching quality when students return to school after nine months of online learning. — VNS