Over one million students, from preschoolers to sixth graders, in Ho Chi Minh City returned to school on Monday for in-person studies after attending virtual classes for around nine months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a week of preparation, all schools concerned received students back on Monday morning based on their parents’ consent, the municipal Department of Education and Training said.

More than 80 percent of elementary students' parents and nearly 70 percent of preschoolers' parents have registered for their children to take in-person studies, the department said.

Students whose parents do not want their kids to return to school will continue attending online classes.

Students from grades seventh to 12th had returned to school a week before.

All students have been given specific instructions on all epidemic prevention measures, and have undergone necessary procedures, including mask wearing, body temperature checks, and hand sanitizing upon entering their schools. 

Their return took place as the city has basically kept the pandemic at bay and reopened the economy in the strategy of living safely with the coronavirus since October 1 last year while further boosting vaccination.

“My daughter is very excited about going to school," a woman told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Elementary School in Binh Thanh District.

"This morning, she got up early looking forward to meeting her teacher and classmates.”

She said she had instructed her daughter, a first grader, in epidemic prevention measures and hoped the little girl would receive further instructions from her teachers. 

“Every time we go out, my mom asks me to wear a face mask so I will do the same when going to school,” the girl told reporters.

Duong Anh Duc, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City administration, came to the school to check its compliance with COVID-19 prevention and control requirements.

“Teachers should closely coordinate with parents in ensuring safety for all students at school as well as at home,” Duc said.

Parents should be advised to promptly report any abnormal health signs in their children to teachers for a timely response, he added.

Some elementary schools began to open semi-boarding classes for students on Monday while others will do the same in a week, the department said.

Ho Chi Minh City, which houses about nine million people, recently launched its spring vaccination campaign, slated for January 29 to the end of February, aimed at giving a second shot to people from 12 to 17 years old and widening the third-jab coverage for people aged 18 and older.

The central government last year issued a resolution on the purchase of 21.9 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine intended for children from five to under 12 years old.

The city has recently seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities fall sharply, to 182 and three on Sunday, from 701 and 19 a month ago, according to data released by the Ministry of Health.

However, Vietnam's economic hub has taken the brunt of the pandemic since it first hit the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020, with 517,485 and 19,918 deaths.

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