The Ministry of Education and Training has granted permission to localities applying social distancing measures to hold online an opening ceremony for the 2020-2021 academic year on September 5.

Nguyen Xuan Thanh, head of the Department of Secondary Education under the education ministry, stated that with two weeks to go, the ministry has devised plans to hold the opening ceremony for the new academic year, including the virtual option due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Da Nang city is the epicenter of the country’s coronavirus outbreak, registering 344 cases after the virus recurred in late July. Its neighbor, Quang Nam province, is the second hardest locality, recording 91 cases. It is highly likely that the new school year opening ceremony will be held online in both localities. 

The virtual option aims to ensure the health and safety of both teachers and students amid the complicated nature of the COVID-19 epidemic, Thanh said. 

The education ministry will request that schools strive to promote information regarding the greater use of technology and online teaching in order to ensure that even in the face of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, students are still able to study.

The coming academic year will see students from kindergartens, primary, secondary, and high schools, along with those at college, return to school before September 1, with the opening ceremony taking place on September 5. It is planned that the first semester will conclude before January 16, whilst the second semester will be completed before May 25. 

Students are set to have three months for their summer vacation ahead of the new academic year.