Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training has decided that the academic year of 2020 - 2021 will start on September 5 nationwide like in other years as Covid-19 has been contained, Kinh te & Do thi quoted Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Huu Do as saying at a meeting on June 30.

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Do said that classes should not be given before the opening day to let the students enjoy the summer holiday, which was shortened due to Covid-19 counter-measures.

For private schools, the ministry will issue more appropriate regulations of organization and operation for private elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools.

Particularly for the 2020-2021 school year, the Ministry of Education and Training's leader said that due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, private schools should submit to the local Department of Education and Training their school time. However, summer vacation for pupils must be ensured, despite the academic year rescheduling due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

For his part, Director of Primary Education Department Thai Van Tai said that the ministry will keep reviewing to streamline the curricula and reduce the study load.

Therefore, the study time for junior high and high school will be adjusted to 35 weeks (a reduction of two weeks compared to the usual calendar), and coincide with the elementary level’s school time.

Earlier, Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training had to extend the school year and streamline learning content for the second semester of the 2019-2020 academic year as students had to take a long break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ministry also requested local departments of Education and Training to review, test and recognize teaching results via online and televised lessons as schools remain shut to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.