Students wash their hands before entering classrooms at a primary school in Cao Lanh city, Vietnam's southern Dong Thap province, Feb. 14, 2022. Rapid vaccinations in people aged 12 and above have encouraged local authorities to reopen schools, and resume other socio-economic activities. (VNA via Xinhua)
HANOI, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- For college junior student Dao Quang Khai, Monday is a big day as it is his first day back in school after almost nine months of distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like many other educational institutions in Vietnam, the Vietnamese National Economics University based in the capital Hanoi, where Khai studies, had to switch to online teaching in May last year after the ongoing and most severe fourth wave of COVID-19 infections started in the country.
"I am so excited, and nervous too," the 21-year-old said, finding his way through a long line of students waiting for temperature checking and health declaration before entering the school on Monday morning.
Rapid vaccinations in people aged 12 and above have encouraged local authorities to reopen schools, and resume other socio-economic activities. At a recent cabinet meeting, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered the resumption of classes in February.
As of Monday, all 63 localities in Vietnam have announced plans to welcome back students within this month, according to the education ministry. An estimated 17 million students are expected to return to their classrooms.
While Khai has wished long for classroom learning, he still has had worries that gatherings in school also mean higher risk of virus transmission.
"Everyone is getting bored of virtual classes, and face-to-face learning is without doubt so much more fun, and certainly more effective. But since COVID-19 can be rampant here at any time, we'll have to prepare for that," he said.
Like many of his friends, Khai has received three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to better protect himself from the virus. Meanwhile, anti-epidemic measures including mask wearing, hand sanitizing and social distancing have been made mandatory by the school.
Over the past few days, prior to universities, elementary, middle and high schools across the Southeast Asian country had seen millions of students back.
To Hoang Xuan Lan, mother of a seventh-grader in Hanoi, the joy cannot be described by words upon hearing that her son can return to school after the longest holiday ever in life.
"My boy couldn't sleep before the coming-back day. He was so happy about seeing his friends and teachers for the first time in about nine months," Lan said.
For the Hanoi mother, the fear of social isolation and learning loss for her son somehow prevail over her concern over the pandemic. During the peak months of COVID-19, her son was almost never allowed to leave home and spent all day long glued to the computer or phone, in an apparently frustrated mood.
"Staying home for a long time denies children the opportunity to develop skills, and affects their personality and emotional development," Lan said.
Along with resuming classes, educational authorities have directed schools to identify students' possible psychological problems related with the pandemic time, and provide necessary counseling and support.
Lan is optimistic that with the strong measures at schools, children can be even safer at schools than at home.
In its released protocol, Hanoi requires local schools not to conduct day-boarding services or open canteens and only teach one session, either in the morning or afternoon, per day. The district authorities will assess and decide whether or not to continue in-person learning depending on the circumstances.
Unlike Lan, some of the parents whose kids have failed to get vaccinated have expressed their concerns over resuming classes.
"I don't know if it is the right time yet. The pandemic situation is still so complicated. I just don't want to risk my son's health," Vo Nguyet Anh, mother of an elementary school boy, told Xinhua.
Interruptions to in-person learning would be inevitable with infections detected in school, Anh said, adding, "that would cost us more than just returning to distance learning".
With around 3,000 new infections reported per day, Hanoi has remained Vietnam's COVID-19 hotspot. The capital still bans the reopening of preschools citywide and primary schools in the high-risk urban areas.
In replying to a recent poll, Anh said she would like to send her son back to class only after nationwide vaccine rollout is carried out for children aged 5 to 11.
Earlier this month, the Vietnamese government approved the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 in the country. However, the vaccination date remains unknown yet.
As of Monday, Vietnam has registered a total of 2,540,273 COVID-19 infections with 39,037 deaths, showed the health ministry data. ■
Children wearing face masks play at a kindergarten in Rach Gia city, Vietnam's southern Kien Giang province, Feb. 14, 2022. Rapid vaccinations in people aged 12 and above have encouraged local authorities to reopen schools, and resume other socio-economic activities. (VNA via Xinhua)
A student wearing a face mask gets her temperature checked at a primary school in Hanoi, Vietnam, Feb. 10, 2022. Rapid vaccinations in people aged 12 and above have encouraged local authorities to reopen schools, and resume other socio-economic activities. (VNA via Xinhua)
Students wearing face masks attend a class at a primary school in the city of Buon Ma Thuot in Vietnam's central highlands Dak Lak province, Feb. 14, 2022. Rapid vaccinations in people aged 12 and above have encouraged local authorities to reopen schools, and resume other socio-economic activities. (VNA via Xinhua)
Students wearing face masks attend a face-to-face class at a college in Hanoi, Vietnam, Feb. 14, 2022. Rapid vaccinations in people aged 12 and above have encouraged local authorities to reopen schools, and resume other socio-economic activities. (VNA via Xinhua)
A teacher leads a first grader into the campus at a primary school in Hanoi, Vietnam, Feb. 10, 2022. Rapid vaccinations in people aged 12 and above have encouraged local authorities to reopen schools, and resume other socio-economic activities. (VNA via Xinhua)
