Stress relief: southern province gives students week off online studies

Nguyen Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the Department of Education and Training of the southern province, said the students will have a mini vacation from November 29 to December 5. He said the decision was taken to ensure health and relieve stress for both teachers and students, especially the younger ones, after extended periods of online studying.

Cao Thi Diem, a parent in An Phu District, said her family has suffered much stress in the last two months. Two of her daughters, 6th and 9th graders, have to share a single mobile phone to study online. If there’s a conflict in schedules, the older one gets the phone while the younger one waits for her homework.

Diem has another pair of twins, both 4th graders, who have to be tutored by their elder sisters as they have no device to study online.

"The kids were very happy to hear they would not have to study for a week," Diem said.

Another mother, Dang Thi Kim Thoa, helps her two children to study every morning.

"Without adult supervision, they lose focus very quickly," she said, adding that a week off for the kids is also a week off for their parents.

Khanh said around 82 percent of primary school students in An Giang have enough devices to study online, while the rest resort to televised lessons or homework from their teachers.

The province currently has around 8,500 primary school teachers and over 400,000 students of all grades.