Under MOET’s decision, the 2019-2020 academic year will finish prior to June 30 instead of May 31, while high school students will attend final exams on July 23-26 instead of early July as initially planned.

The exams have been delayed because students have one month off school because of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Hanoi’s students plan to return to school on March 2.

Tran Thai Anh, a student of Phan Dinh Phung High School in Hanoi, is happy as the exam has been delayed for one month, saying that one month is enough to make up for the days off.

“My classmates and I now can sigh with relief because we will have enough time to prepare for the high school finals,” he said.

Under MOET’s decision, the 2019-2020 academic year will finish prior to June 30 instead of May 31, while high school students will attend final exams on July 23-26 instead of early July as initially planned.

Vo Thi Hoai T, a teacher of a high school in Ha Tinh province, also applauds the decision by MOET.

“This is a reasonable decision. If the academic year finish time was delayed by one or two weeks only, we would not have enough time to prepare for the exams and students will feel pressure,” she said.

On education forums, students and teachers said 'congratulations’ to each other, because their concern that the long absence would affect exam quality has been lifted.

A high school teacher in Hanoi said that teachers and students contact each other every day via mails.

“We give home exercises to students and mark school papers regularly. We believe that students still can prepare for the exams,” he said.

“So, you cannot say students bear pressure, especially when they have one more month to study and review for the exams,” he added.

Director of the Nghe An provincial Education and Training Department Thai Van Thanh said with one more month, localities will be able to arrange the teaching schedule.

“Nghe An’s students have three weeks off. With the one month delay and two week provisioning, we will have more than enough time to review for the important exams,” Thanh said.

He went on to say that the schools in the province are ready to receive students at school, slated for March 2. Classrooms, teaching/learning aids and children’s toys have been disinfected with chemicals.

The Hai Duong provincial Education and Training Department also plans to call students to schools on March 2. Director of the department Luong Van Viet said as the academic year has been prolongef by one month, students will not have to go to school on Saturday and Sunday.

Mai Lan

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