Schools in Hanoi have been ordered to simplify their coming new school year opening ceremonies as part of efforts for Covid-19 prevention (photo by Tien phong)

According to Dung, over 2,700 local schools will hold their new school-year opening ceremony on September 5. However, the event must not last more than 45 minutes.

Schools which have a large yard can allow all of their students to take part in the ceremony but have to conform to Covid-19 prevention regulations such as using face masks and hand wash. It is also important to have temperature checks and ensure safe distances among people.

Meanwhile, those who do not have enough area, need to balance the student numbers for event participation.

Dung added that schools are not permitted to hold parades and music shows as well as fly balloons at their new academic year opening ceremony. They are asked to work out detailed plans for the event.

Any student and delegate with symptoms like cough and fever are not allowed to join the event.

After the ceremony, schools will organise a lesson on Covid-19 prevention regulations for students and this will not take place at schoolyards, but in separate classrooms.

Nursery schools in the city’s new school-year ceremony are not allowed to last more than one hour.

On August 28, the Department of Education and Training will have a meeting with school headmasters about the new school-year opening ceremony. Schools are also instructed to build their Covid-19 prevention scheme before September 1.

Nguyen Xuan Thanh, director of the Secondary Education Department at the Ministry of Education and Training said that localities that practice social distancing must put the health and safety of students and teachers above all else, and depending on local circumstances can hold opening ceremonies for the new school year online.