Following the Department of Education and Training’s proposal on February 14, the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has approved that schools will remain closed until February 29, 2020.
The decision to close schools was an attempt to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV/COVID-19). Tuoi Tre Newspaper reports.
Related: Schools in Ho Chi Minh City reopen from February 17 after two weeks off due to coronavirus
Additionally, the city authorities also assigned the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Health to issue instructions of preventive measures to schools.
All 63 cities and provinces across Vietnam had at first extended the Tet (Lunar New Year) break for students by one week instead of commencing class on February 2 to prevent the spread of the virus. VNExpress, a Vietnamese media reports.
The break was extended by one more week until February 16 after more cases of infection were detected in Vietnam.
On Feb 13, the Ministry of Health said that provinces and cities that do not have an outbreak or further spreading of the virus can reopen schools.
“Schools need to ensure they are free of novel coronavirus infection before letting students return to class”, Vietnam’s Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam said.
“Safety should be guaranteed both in terms of professional perspective and in the minds of students and parents. Students should not be sent back to school if there are still worries of getting infected and worries over whether they should wear a mask in class or not,” Dam told a government meeting Friday.
Discover more from Vietnam Insider
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.