Hanoi currently has more than 2.3 million students, from preschool to high school. Every decision about whether to cancel classes during storms is not just an internal matter for the education sector - it’s about the safety of millions of families and a test of administrative capacity.

On the evening of October 3, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training (DOET) issued an official notice to 126 wards, communes, and affiliated educational institutions, authorizing school principals to actively monitor weather conditions, adjust teaching schedules flexibly, choose suitable learning methods, and report to local authorities and the department for coordination.

This marks a significant shift - from a “wait-for-approval” model to one of “proactive coordination.”

The timing of this change is no coincidence. Just a week earlier, Typhoon No. 10 exposed serious delays and inefficiencies within the city’s education system.

Announcements about school closures were issued too late - when many streets had already turned into rivers. Parents rushed through flooded roads to pick up their children. Some schools had to let students stay overnight because it was too dangerous to return home. These scenes left the public deeply uneasy and frustrated.

The pressing question remains: who takes responsibility for such delays?

Centralized power and its limits

According to Decision No. 2269/QĐ-BGDĐT dated August 11, 2025, issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, only the director of the DOET has the authority to close schools during natural disasters or severe weather - and must later ensure makeup classes to maintain the academic schedule.

While this centralized rule seems logical, it exposes a critical weakness: in emergencies, even a half-day delay can disrupt millions of lives.

Schools are not fully autonomous. They must report and wait for official approval - even when their campuses are already flooded and roads blocked.

Principals can make temporary closures for safety, but still need higher-level validation to “formalize” the decision.

In an era of increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather, this centralized mechanism has proven outdated.

By allowing principals to make their own calls during Typhoon No. 11, the Hanoi DOET took a progressive step.

First, it removed a major bottleneck - empowering schools to act quickly rather than waiting for paperwork while students are stranded.

Second, it established a multi-level coordination model: schools act autonomously but must stay in communication with local governments and the department, ensuring both flexibility and oversight.

Third, it aligns with the government’s broader administrative reform goals. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has repeatedly emphasized: “Authority should be delegated to the level closest to the people.” In education, that level is the school - the most immediate and responsive institution in times of crisis.

From short-term fix to lasting reform

This change should not be a one-time solution for Typhoon No. 11 but a long-term policy reform.

The issue of “storm-day school closures” may seem minor, yet it reflects the essence of public administration: excessive centralization leads to paralysis, while reasonable decentralization drives efficiency.

For years, Vietnam has talked about delegation of power - about freeing local governments from bureaucratic layers so they can act swiftly and effectively for citizens’ benefit.

The goal is clear: shorten decision-making chains, cut red tape, and ensure people’s needs are addressed promptly and practically.

The government is currently restructuring local administrations toward a streamlined, two-tier model with fewer intermediaries - and the education sector must not lag behind.

The DOET’s move to empower schools amid Typhoon No. 11 is commendable. Yet, it came at the cost of painful lessons from Typhoon No. 10 - when delays left families stranded, children sleeping at schools, and parents wading through floodwaters.

Today’s new “monitor–adjust–report” mechanism must evolve into a permanent principle. Only then can Hanoi - and Vietnam - build an education system resilient to natural disasters and aligned with the government’s vision: governance that is effective, responsive, and close to the people.

Over 2.3 million students and millions of parents across the capital are waiting for such meaningful change.

Tu Giang