At a meeting with the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on the plan for students to stay out of school to prevent the nCoV epidemic on the evening of February 14, departments and branches assessed that the city still had a potential risk of infection with the nCoV disease (Covid-19).

Ho Chi Minh City currently has more than 1.7 million students at all levels from preschool to high school with nearly 2,300 schools.

Accordingly, departments and agencies propose to give students a break until the end of March. A long break will help parents proactively arrange work to look after and care for their children as well as ensure the safest health of students.

Mr. Tu Luong, Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Communications, said this plan was proposed to the Central Committee by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.

Students take the exam at Tran Dai Nghia High School, District 1. Photo: Manh Tung

Many education managers and parents agreed to let students take a break until the end of March to avoid the Covid-19 epidemic.

During the break, schools must organize online teaching.

According to Mr. Thanh, the summer vacation is only one month and does not have much impact on the psychology of teachers and students.

According to Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu (Principal of Nguyen Du High School), the number of parents who want their children to take a winter break is greater than the number who want their children to go to school.

Many parents also support the city’s plan because the current top goal is to control the epidemic.

Meanwhile, some school leaders believe that it is not necessary to propose a break until the end of March.

The nCoV epidemic has spread to 27 countries and territories.

This is the first time more than 22 million students nationwide have been absent from school for a long time to prevent infectious diseases.

Manh Tung – Huu Nguyen