Deputy Head of the Department of Culture and Society of the HCMC People’s Council Nguyen Minh Nhut speaks at the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Head of the Department of Culture and Society Nguyen Minh Nhut said that the People’s Committee of HCMC approved the program on direct learning for students in grades 7-12, but 1st – 6th graders. The city has collected parents’ opinions on organizing face to face learning for these students before launching the decision.
Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of District 1, Mai Thi Hong Hoa reported the primary school grading system of the district has the largest number of 15,442 students, followed by the secondary level with 12,315 students, high school level with 9,387 and Kindergarten level with 4,963 students.
Many teachers and school staff in provinces and cities have not returned to HCMC due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As of January 10, the district recorded 155 students and 27 teaching staff confirmed to have Covid-19.
Principal of the Nguyen Thai Hoc Primary School, Tran Be Hong Hanh
Around 94.94 percent of students aged 12-17 were fully vaccinated against Covid-19. There are 261 students, including those who have not got the second dose yet due to underlying medical conditions, others who get stranded in their hometowns and can not return to the city, and students whose parents do not agree on vaccinating their children.
According to statistics of schools, the percentage of students going back in-person learning has gradually increased from 90 to 97 percent.
The percentage of parents who agreed with in-person kindergarten for 5-6 years old is 40.78 percent; 4-5 years old and 3-4 years old are 34.47 percent and 24.75 percent respectively.
In the primary level, the percentage of agreement for students in grades 1, 2, 3,4,5,6 are 66.19, 63.03, 67.66, 62.14, 32.32 and 45.9 percent.
Educational facilities are coping with financial difficulties in purchasing Covid-19 antigen test kits and medical equipment for teaching staff, and the shortage of medical workers.
Principal of the Chu Van An Secondary School, Ho Thi Ngoc Suong
The People’s Committee of District 1 has proposed the municipal People’s Committee to allow in-person learning for students aged 3-12 years old after the lunar New Year.
Principal of the Nguyen Thai Hoc Primary School, Tran Be Hong Hanh said that the percentage of parents who agreed with face-to-face learning has increased from 30 percent in the first survey to 40 percent in the second examination of opinions and 69.9 percent in the latest study.
According to principal of the Chu Van An Secondary School, Ho Thi Ngoc Suong the school previously offered two direct classes a day and each class has owned classroom. The school has currently used functional rooms for the division of students into different classes for direct learning. Besides some teachers who are Covid-19 patients can not go to school for in-person teaching. Therefore students have to learn via virtual classes with a teaching assistant at school. The school must offer both in-person and online learning for students who are Covid-19 patients and those whose parents do not agree with returning to school.
The agreement percentage of parents of 5th graders is lowest because they concerned with in-person learning plan and the situation of pandemic after the lunar New Year while their children have not received Covid-19 vaccine. They are also afraid of the result of direct examination that may lower than online exam, affecting the secondary entrance assessment, principal of the Nguyen Thai Hoc Primary School, Tran Be Hong Hanh said.
