Tens of millions of students back to school after long COVID-19 break
Tens of millions of students from kindergartens to high schools nationwide returned to school on May 4 morning after a three-month closure to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
A class of the Viet Duc High School in Hanoi's Hoan Kiem district. Hanoi reopened junior and senior high schools on May 4 after a three-month closure (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Tensof millions of students from kindergartens to high schools nationwide returnedto school on May 4 morning after a three-month closure to prevent COVID-19transmission.
Among the 63 provinces and centrally-run citiesin the country, 18 reopened all schools on May 4, and more than 30 others thathave welcomed students between the sixth and 12th grades back since late Aprilnow continue to reopen kindergartens and primary schools.
Meanwhile, more than 10 localities, includingHanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, will resume operations of primary schools andkindergartens later.
In HCM City, more than 150,000 ninth and 12thgraders returned to school for the first time since the Lunar New Year holiday.
Most of local schools made use of the NationalReunification Day and May Day holiday from April 30 to May 3 to disinfectclassrooms and their campuses, prepare face masks for students, and installmore hand wash basins. Many schools rearranged desks while others had toconsider dividing classes into smaller ones to ensure the safe distance of onemetre among students.
In Hanoi, about 700,000 junior and senior highschools and establishments of continuing education were reopened on May 4.
Aside from disinfection, a number of schoolsalso changed the timetable of classes and continued with teaching via theinternet and television.
However, many schools that have reopened sincelate April said they are facing difficulties in keeping the minimum distance ofone metre among students due to the shortage of teachers and classrooms.
The Ministry of Education and Training recentlyissued 15 criteria for ensuring COVID-19 prevention and control at educationalestablishments. Any schools that are unable to meet more than seven criteriawill be assessed as unsafe and not allowed to operate.
Over the last three months, schools acrossVietnam have provided teaching via the internet and television.
More than 22 million students nationwide hadjust finished the 20th week of the 2019-2020 academic year when schools had toclosed down almost immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday due to the COVID-19pandemic. The school year was rescheduled to finish before July 15, one and ahalf months later than usual./.
Schools across Ho Chi Minh City will welcome students back starting from May 4 after a three-and-a-half month break, while beauty spas and entertainment facilities will remain in shutdown.
Hanoi will ease restrictions and gradually restore socio-economic activities while striving to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung has said.
Secondary and high school students in Hanoi have been back to school on May 4 after three months off as a preventive measure against COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
A class of the Viet Duc High School in Hanoi's Hoan Kiem district. Hanoi reopened junior and senior high schools on May 4 after a three-month closure (Photo: VNA) 
