Chairman Phan Van Mai (C) talks with representatives at the event (Photo: SGGP)
Talking to the press on the sidelines of the fourth session of the tenth tenure of People's Council of HCMC on December 7, Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Phan Van Mai made the statement.
Regarding first graders’ returning to schools, he said the city authorities and the Department of Education and Training will work on a plan to ensure the safety of small students securing parents to send their children to schools.
Previously, while discussing the matter, Editor-in-Chief of Saigon Giai Phong newspaper Tang Huu Phong said that parents and city dwellers have paid much attention to this matter. However, at present, parents and residents have received incomplete information.
Therefore, he suggested the Department of Education and Training inform the sector’s preparation for a return to schools as well as specific plans for students’ safety to make parents feel more secure.
Editor-in-Chief of Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper Tang Huu Phong speaks at the discussion (Photo: SGGP)
Also at the discussion, delegate Hoang Thi Diem Tuyet, Director of Hung Vuong Hospital, said that besides gaining knowledge, children need to have exchange and learning to improve their personality and psychology.
Therefore, she believed that learning only through computer screens will affect children's psyche and risk causing them to have some eye diseases. Since then, she supported the plan to bring ninth graders and twelve graders back to schools.
In addition, currently, children aged 12-17 have already received a Covid-19 vaccine dose, so students of grades 9 and 12 can go to schools from December 13. However, more careful consideration is needed for returning of first graders.
Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training Nguyen Van Hieu
Nguyen Van Hieu, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that pre-school children last year had time to familiarize themselves with schools and classes before learning online. As for the preschool children this year, they have not been to school for a single day, so they are not familiar with schools.
The Department has also invited experts and educators to research how to teach first graders online. At last, the department has a solution to build a television program with instructional clips mainly to guide students' parents.
Thanks to the support of the students' parents, first graders have met the set requirements.
Director Hieu explained that the first grade students do not learn all the subjects, but teachers only focus on Math and Literature so that they can read and write. Up to now, first graders have been able to read and write.
However, the learning process must take time and require a higher amount of knowledge; therefore, first graders need to go to school as soon as possible.
Ninth and twelve graders are going to take an entrance examination; hence, they should return to schools. Therefore, the Department of Education and Training advised the People's Committee to allow a return of these three grades.
To have this plan, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has coordinated with districts and Thu Duc City, especially Can Gio District, to pilot 6-week direct teaching at all levels in the area relatively independently.
After 6 weeks of direct teaching in Thanh An island commune, one infection in the community went to school. After the incident, the city has learned a lesson of handling it for good preparation for the return of schools.
Prior, schools have held parents’ opinion polls, surveys and exchanges many times to get the final results that have been reported by the press recently.
The percentage of parents of ninth and twelve graders agreeing to send their children to schools is very high whereas the rate of first graders’ parents is very low with just 30 percent.
HCMC decides to cancel the return of first graders to secure parents
Therefore, the Department of Education and Training also has a plan to submit to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to cancel the return of first graders to secure parents.
This morning, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee Duong Anh Duc signed an urgent document to the Department of Education and Training, the Department of Health and the People's Committee of Thu Duc City and 21 districts about direct teaching at educational institutions.
According to the document, Covid-19 infections in the southern largest city are rising, the city authorities decided to temporarily cancel direct teaching at educational institutions for five-year-old children and first graders until there will be further notice.
From December 13, 2021, Ho Chi Minh City only piloted direct learning for grades 9 and 12 for educational institutions that meet all safety conditions in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic.
After the city has piloted direct learning for students in grades 9 and 12 from December 13 to December 25, the Department of Education and Training will coordinate with the Department of Health and the Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Covid-19 epidemic in Thu Duc city and 21 districts to withdraw lessons.
These bodies will give advice to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City about the continuation and gradual expansion of subjects or direct teaching citywide from March 1, 2022.
