VietNamNet Bridge – Schools, offices, state agencies and shopping centers in 10 inner and 2 suburban districts of Hanoi will change their official working hours after the lunar New Year holiday, starting from February 1, 2012.
The adjustment will affect ten districts, including Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Tay Ho, Cau Giay, Thanh Xuan, Ha Dong, Hoang Mai, Long Bien, Tu Liem and Thanh Tri.

Morning classes for high schools and colleges will begin at 7 a.m. and afternoon sessions will end at 7 p.m. or later.

State office workers and students between kindergarten and junior high school will attend school from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Trading centers and other services, excluding financial and banking, will operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Other groups, including factories and the military, will retain their current working hours.

Hanoi authorities have decided to adjust official working hours to reduce traffic jams. Earlier, the city asked the government’s permission to delay change of work hours for a month, commencing from February instead of from January 2012.

Hanoi’s Mayor Nguyen The Thao said the adjustment would be delayed until that time so as to avoid arousing confusion among people before the lunar New Year, which will come in late January.

The city’s plan to change working hours was carefully considered by experts and related agencies since October 2011. However, the city’s Party Secretary General Pham Quang Nghi said that he did not play high hope on curbing congestion by this measure only.

PV