Schools reopen after prolonged closure due to Covid-19

Schools reopened in some localities in Khanh Hoa Province on October 18 after closure due to Covid-19,  getting students back to in-person learning. Infection prevention and control measures have been strictly implemented to make schools Covid-secure during the pandemic.

 

Safe learning environment

 

To prepare for the school reopening, Khanh Hoa Department of Education and Training conducted inspection at Huynh Thuc Khang Senior High School and Ly Thuong Kiet Junior High School in Van Ninh District on October 16. The schools have fully met requirements for a safe return for in-person learning, said Vo Hoan Hai, Director of Khanh Hoa Department of Education and Training.

 

 

 

 

According to Vo Duc Cao Cuong, Principle of Huynh Thuc Khang High School, 1,478/1,496 students and 88/90 teachers are in good health conditions for returning to school. Classes are divided into 2 groups, learning in morning and afternoon from Monday to Saturday. Both direct and online learning is applied to meet the new school year curricula. Body temperature checks, hand wash and QR code scanning are required before entering the school. Together with medical supplies at school, face masks and hand sanitizer are available for use in class. Classrooms were thoroughly cleaned before the reopening day.

 

Earlier, the Department of Education & Training had undertaken inspection in Cam Lam District, Dien Khanh District, Ninh Hoa Town and Cam Ranh City. On October 16 and 17, the Department of Education & Training jointly with the heath care sector conducted SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic testing (first phase) on 9,234 students and staff of high schools, regular education centers, foreign language and informatics centers and vocational training centers in the province. 

 

Besides, the local education sector has also built many flexible scenarios in response to Covid-19 pandemic in case F0, F1, F2 are detected before, during and after the school reopening. 100% of school staff have been fully vaccinated with the second dose taken at least 14 days before entering schools. Teachers having not completed the vaccination continue teaching online.

 

Vo Ba Phung, Chief of Cam Lam District Division of Education & Training said, high schools and Cam Lam Vocational School in Cam Lam reopened on October 18. Students in Cam Duc Town are expected to get back to school on October 25. Schools are required to swiftly activate response plans with emergency measures in case an infection is detected at school.

 

In Ninh Hoa, only 14/29 junior high schools welcomed students back on October 18. Other schools which are located in orange and red zones are continuing their online teaching. Both in-person and virtual learning is applied with classes required to consist no more than 30 learners to meet the safety criteria, according to Chau Dinh Hung Son, Deputy Chief of the town Division of Education & Training

 

Student health monitoring

 

According to the Provincial People’s Decision dated October 15, after 1 month of the new school year, the direct teaching in Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh and online teaching in other communities of Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, Ninh Hoa, Dien Khanh, Cam Lam, Cam Ranh and Van Ninh, have basically met the educational requirements in the province, suitable for the local situations of Covid-19. The direct teaching and learning in the province has entered the second phase with schools, except in Nha Trang City, reopening on October 18. Students in Nha Trang City are expected to return to schools on October 25. 

 

According to Vo Hoan Hai, to assure teachers and students’ safety, the department has required schools to cooperate with local medical centers to complete school disinfection before October 17; education facilities to continue following Covid-19 prevention and control guidance, focusing on propaganda and investment in infrastructures and equipment, including body temperature monitoring devices, hand sanitizer and soap; schools to strictly comply with Covid-19 response measures and foster a genuine partnership between home and schools to get updated information about students’ health and travel history in an effort to prevent their direct contact with any suspected or confirmed cases of infection.

 

Furthermore, the Department of Education & Training has instructed schools to make effort to soon keep students on track and improve teaching quality. To prepare for the reopening of nursery and primary schools on November 1, Covid-19 rapid diagnostic testing is scheduled for 14,237 school staff and children on October 30 and 31.

 

T.Truc – V.Thanh

Translated by N.T