Schools stay closed in Hanoi, HCM City due to COVID-19 threat
Students in Hanoi's public schools from kindergarten to senior high school will not return to school until after March 8, Chairman of the city’s People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung has said.
School officials spray disinfectant in a classroom in Bac Giang province. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) -🌱 Students in Hanoi's public schools from kindergarten to senior highschool will not return to school until after March 8, Chairman of the city’sPeople’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung has said.
Chung made the announcement at a city-level meeting onprevention of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Hanoion February 28. “Our goal is to avoid human-to-human transmission of thecoronavirus in the city, but we still have different scenarios to prepare forthe worst,” he said. International schools in the capital are allowed to re-open onMarch 2 if they have confirmed their schools are safe and parents agree fortheir children to attend, the chairman added. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City will allow students from kindergarten to 11th grade stay home until March 15, while 12th graders are to return toschool after March 8. Vinh Long province and Da Nang City will have 12th graders anduniversity students return to school on March 2, and students of all levelsreturn on March 16 and March 8, respectively. In Nghe An, Hoa Binh and Ha Tinh, senior and junior high school students willreturn to school after March 1 and 8 respectively, while students at otherlevels will stay home until after March 15. In most other provinces, junior and senior high schools will re-open onMarch 2, while elementary schools and kindergartens will remain close untilafter March 8. The localities’ announcements came after theMinistry of Education and Training on February27 gave out its recommendation on the schools’ reopening dates asparents stayed on high alert over the worsening outbreak of COVID-19 worldwide. Accordingly, the ministry proposed the People’s Committees of 63 provinces and centrally-run cities to let high school andregular education centres students go back to school on March 2. As for younger children at kindergarten, primary and secondaryschools, the local authorities can consider extending the school closure foranother one or two weeks depending on their own circumstances. “The outbreak is getting very complicated but we can’t sit stillwaiting till the outbreak is over and let the students go back to school,” Education Minister Phung Xuan Nha said in a Government’s meeting this week. The ministry this week had to adjust the school year term for2019-2020 after schools nationwide were forced to close amid the COVID-19outbreak in Vietnam. The school year will set to end by June 30, with high schoolenrollment done by August 15. The most important examination of the year – thenational high school graduation test of which the results will determine if onecan enter a university – will take place between July 23 and July 26, accordingto the ministry. The Government and the Ministry of Education and Training wasunder great pressure for the last week to reopen schools as all 16 patientsinfected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Vietnam fully recovered with the last onedischarged from the hospital on February25. No new cases were reported for the last 16 days. The Ministry of Health (MoH) on February 28 sent notices to the Ministryof Education and Training, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairsand the People’s Committees of all municipalities asking themto strengthen health precautionary measures at schools and dormitories. The MoH demanded all schools and dormitories be disinfectedthoroughly before students return to schools./.
Teachers at schools, colleges and universities in Ho Chi Minh City are applying a wide range of teaching methods to help their students learn online while the schools are closed until February 9 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
As concerns over the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) mount, all the 63 cities and provinces nationwide are letting their students stay at home as part of enhanced measures to prevent the virus’ spread.
Many software companies have provided free e-learning software for students to study online while schools remain closed at least until the month-end due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fears.
The programmes have brought about positive changes to rural infrastructure, comprehensively improved the material and spiritual lives of farmers, and contributed to Vietnam's economic restructuring, said PM Pham Minh Chinh.
The festival highlighted the contributions and robust development of Vietnam's revolutionary press over the past century while promoting press products and showcasing the creativity of Vietnamese journalists.
The programme on sustainable poverty reduction has achieved its annual targets for reducing the poverty rate as assigned by the National Assembly and the Government. It has fulfilled five specific objectives and five five-year goals, and met nine out of 12 indicators related to addressing basic social service shortages.
UNICEF stands ready to support the Government in implementing this important law and in continuing to invest in teachers as the cornerstone of a resilient, inclusive, and high-quality education system for all children.
PM Pham Minh Chinh highlighted how Vietnam's revolutionary press has continuously evolved and strengthened over the past century, affirming its role as a sharp and vital political, cultural, and ideological weapon serving the Fatherland and the people in the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party.
Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Chi Mai highlighted the growing demand for Vietnamese workers in Kyushu, especially in Fukuoka, Oita, and Saga prefectures. Currently, the region employs about 35,000 Vietnamese manual workers and over 5,000 IT engineers.
In Vietnam’s case, she said, President Ho Chi Minh demonstrated his strategic vision by founding the revolutionary press a century ago. The late leader understood the press's role not only as a means to reflect the country’s realities but also as a powerful tool to strengthen national unity and inspire the resistance wars and national construction process.
In recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters in Mexico, prominent figures reflected on the press’s legacy and its global influence.
VietnamPlus e-newspaper of the VNA clinched an A prize in the “Outstanding Press Product” category for its immersive 3D multimedia project, “Epic of Reunification,” a groundbreaking blend of storytelling and technology. The VNA won another A prize for its eye-catching exhibition booth.
Today, the press for foreign service has evolved into a distinct, irreplaceable force, bridging Vietnam with the world and portraying a nation that is stable, peace-loving, and fully integrated into the international community.
At a review conference held on June 21, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh praised the province’s scientific, coordinated, and flexible approach. He noted that the early completion reflects the strong commitment of local authorities, the business community, philanthropists, and residents in improving housing conditions for disadvantaged groups.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
School officials spray disinfectant in a classroom in Bac Giang province. (Photo: VNA) 
