Many schools in Hanoi recorded that 80% of preschool and primary school children went to school despite the cold weather.

According to the 6:00 AM bulletin from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the lowest temperature in Northern Vietnam was recorded at Mau Son (Lang Son) at -2.5°C. Most weather stations recorded temperatures well below 10°C, including Ha Dong (Hanoi) at 9.2°C, Sa Pa (Lao Cai) at 2.7°C, Moc Chau (Son La) at 3.7°C, Dong Van ( Ha Giang ) at 1.6°C, Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc) at 2.1°C, and Trung Khanh (Cao Bang) at 3.2°C.

With temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, preschool and primary school students in northern localities continue to stay home from school. However, due to difficulties in arranging childcare during the last days of the year, parents still decide to send their children to school, entrusting the school with their care and keeping them warm.

Students at Van Thang Primary School (Ba Vi, Hanoi) attended school in fairly full numbers despite the cold weather. — Students at Van Thang Primary School (Ba Vi, Hanoi ) attended school in fairly full numbers despite the cold weather.

According to information from the Department of Education and Training, the enrollment rate for preschool children in districts, counties, and towns is quite high. For example, preschools in Tay Ho district have an enrollment rate of over 80%, in Ha Dong district it is 59%, in Nam Tu Liem district over 52%, and in Thanh Xuan district 49%. This rate includes both public and private schools.

The enrollment rate for children in private preschools in many areas is also quite high. Independent private preschools in Tay Ho district have an enrollment rate of 80.2%, Hoan Kiem district 75%, and districts such as Nam Tu Liem, Dong Da, and Hoang Mai all exceed 70%. For primary schools, the rate is above 60%.

"Kindergartens and primary schools have plans in place to manage and care for students in case families wish to send their children to school. Primary schools also proactively implement flexible teaching methods, focusing on reviewing knowledge and developing skills for students who attend school, while assigning tasks to students at home through various methods," a representative from the Hanoi Department of Education and Training stated.

Meanwhile, middle schools, high schools, and vocational training centers/continuing education centers in the city are operating normally. However, schools are flexibly adjusting their morning class times, delaying them by 30 to 60 minutes compared to current regulations. Outdoor activities for students are being replaced with on-site physical exercise sessions.

According to Ms. Pham Thi Le Hang, Head of the Education and Training Department of Ha Dong district (Hanoi), during the days of intense cold, students are given time off, and for families who do not have the means to look after their children, schools in Ha Dong district always remain open, creating favorable conditions for parents to go to work.

"The Department of Education and Training also requested that schools plan to make up missed lessons based on the number of students absent. For students who arrive late to school due to weather conditions on these days, schools are flexible in welcoming them back to class," Ms. Hang said. On January 23rd alone, the attendance rate at schools remained at 70% for both preschool and primary school levels.

The department has requested that schools prepare warm water, warm towels, warm food, and re-check classrooms to ensure they are well-ventilated.

Schools at all levels will independently decide on their own start and end times. In this area, most secondary schools start classes between 7:15 and 7:30 AM, primary schools between 7:45 and 8:00 AM, and kindergens between 7:00 and 8:30 AM.

Updated weather forecast for this morning. (Photo: VTV)

According to the National Center for Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting, the severe cold spell will last until January 25th, with temperatures in the Northern Delta reaching a low of 7-10 degrees Celsius, and below 0 degrees Celsius in high mountainous areas. The highest daytime temperature in Hanoi will only be 15 degrees Celsius.
This is the second severe cold spell of the 2023-2024 winter season. The first, from December 17-27, 2023, saw Mau Son temperatures drop to -2.5 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the past 11 years.

Minh Khoi

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