HCMC postpones school reopening for 1st graders

By Manh Tung December 7, 2021 | 08:27 pm PT

First graders attend an in-person class at Thanh An Primary School in HCMC's outlying district of Can Gio, October 20, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Children in first grade and kindergartens would not return to school this month, the HCMC administration announced Wednesday.

The decision to rescind an earlier plan is meant to ensure kids' safety and reassure parents.

According to the earlier plan, announced last week, schools for first, ninth and 12th graders were to reopen on Dec. 13 and kindergartens on Dec. 20 on a two-week trial basis.

But a survey done last week by the Department of Education and Training of 121,700 parents of first graders found more than 70 percent saying they would not send their children to school yet, with most citing the fact they have yet to be vaccinated against Covid, which continues to plague the city.

Now only ninth and 12th graders will attend school from Dec. 13.

Students in HCMC have not attended school for well over a year.

In Can Gio District, however, the Thanh An kindergarten, primary, secondary, and high schools in the eponymous island commune will resume classes for all grades on December 13.

In October it became the first locality in the city to reopen schools.