Vietnamese students taste school life again

HANOI－For college 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 National Economics University, where Khai studies in the capital Hanoi, had to switch to online teaching in May after the ongoing and most severe fourth wave of COVID-19 infections started.

"I am so excited, and nervous too," said the 21-year-old Khai, finding his way through a long line of students waiting for temperature checks and health declarations before entering the school on Monday morning.

Rapid vaccinations for those aged 12 and above have encouraged local authorities to reopen schools and resume other socioeconomic activities. At a recent cabinet meeting, 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 classrooms.

Though Khai has long wished for classroom learning, he is still worried that gatherings in school also mean a higher risk of virus transmission.

A mother of a seventh-grade student in Hanoi cannot describe her joy in words upon hearing that her son can finally return to school after the longest holiday ever.

With around 3,000 new infections reported each day, Hanoi remains Vietnam's COVID-19 hot spot. The capital still bans the reopening of preschools citywide and primary schools in high-risk urban areas.

Earlier this month, the Vietnamese government approved the administration of COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5 to 11. However, the date to begin vaccinations for this age group has not been announced yet.

As of Monday, Vietnam has registered a total of 2,540,273 COVID-19 infections, according to health ministry data.

Xinhua