The Ministry of Education and Training on March 13 sent an urgent official dispatch to cities and provinces across the country on the newly-adjusted 2019 - 2020 academic year calendar.

Students of a high school in Vietnam (Photo: VTV)

As the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) continues spreading, forcing schools extend closure, the ministry has again rescheduled the closing date of the 2019 – 2020 academic year to July 15 while the national high school graduation exam was postponed to August 8 – 11 this year.

Based on the revised calendar, chairpersons of the municipal and provincial People’s Committees nationwide are asked to decide when schools are re-opened, depending on the real situation in each locality, according to the official dispatch.

The ministry also urged its provincial-level departments to streamline curriculum and instruct schools to provide students with televised and online lessons.

The ministry said it will continue keeping a close watch on developments of the COVID-19 outbreak in order to provide timely instructions to local departments and schools.

The Ministry of Education and Training revised this school year’s academic calendar for the first time last month, in which the closing date was delayed to June 30 while the national high school graduation exam was rescheduled to July 23 – 27.