Classes of secondary and high schools, vocational colleges and universities in Hanoi will resume from May 4 while primary schools and kindergartens will be reopened from May 11 as social distancing period orders have been loosened.

Employees at a school are cleaning up for reopening on May 4. Photo: Nguoi Dua Tin newspaper

The decision was made by the city’s mayor Nguyen Duc Chung at a meeting of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on April 29. 

Language and informatics centers, overseas study consulting centers that meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education and Training will resume operations from May 4, according to the mayor.

Education facilities are required to take precautionary measures such as disinfecting classes and the school, measuring body temperature and ensuring the limitation of gatherings among students.

In Hanoi, more than two million students of the 2019-2020 academic year have stayed at home from early February to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The students will finish the academic year by July 15, a month and a half later than usual.

Besides Hanoi, 60 other provinces and cities throughout the country have announced plans to reopen schools by the end of this month or next month.

The local authorities also will reduce the number of subjects of high school entrance exams from four to three because of the prolonged class disruption.

As of April 30, Vietnam has confirmed 270 Covid-19 cases including 221 cured and no deaths. Fourteen days have gone without any new cases reported.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said the pandemic has been contained and business activities have been gradually resumed.