Công văn 1398/BGDDT-GDTC

In accordance with the Directive No. 15/CT-TTg dated March 27, 2020 on drastic measures taken in the peak phase of prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic, the Directive No. 16/CT-TTg dated March 31, 2020 of the Prime Minister on urgent measures taken to prevent and control COVID-19 pandemic, upon the guidelines of the Ministry of Health in the Official Dispatch No. 1244/BYT-MT dated March 13, 2020 and the Official Dispatch No. 2234/BYT-MT dated April 21, 2020 on initiation of prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic in education institutions, the Ministry of Education and Training (MET) provide guidelines for measures applied to ensure safety for kids of kindergartens and students (hereinafter referred to as students) returning to schools and actions taken against suspect COVID-19 cases in schools as follows:

1. Keep implementing the Official Dispatch No. 550/BGDDT-GDTC dated February 25, 2020 on guidelines for measures taken to prevent and control epidemics in educational institutions and the Official Dispatch No. 696/BGDDT-GDTC dated March 4, 2020 on things to do to prevent and control COVID-19 in schools.

2. Adopt measures to ensure safety for students returning to schools

a) Preparedness of schools before students return to schools

- Clean and disinfect school buildings and classrooms.

- Prepare necessary facilities and medical equipment, ensure environment hygiene: Prepare thermometers, sanitizers, stations to wash hands with soap, etc; ensure the social distance and wellbeing of teachers, students, school administrators and staff when students return to school under guidance of the Ministry of Health.

- Provide training in epidemic prevention and control protocol and assign tasks to teachers, school administrators and staff to perform and instruct students when they return schools.

- Formulate an education plan of school as per regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training^[1] in compliance with actual circumstances of the school and progress of the pandemic in the locality in order to provide teaching for grades, classes and groups of students in turn to ensure reasonable social distance and keep students and teachers safe at the school; combine teaching online, via television and at classrooms so as to shorten the length of school curriculum and ensure that the academic year will be finished by July 15, 2020.

b) Students returning to schools

- Before students go to school.

+ No student is allowed to go to school if he/she has been isolated at home at the request of the health authority.

+ If a student, teacher, school administrator or staff member has fever, cough, or shortness of breath, he/she must stay at home and notify the school of his/her sickness without delay and need to be referred to a health facility to receive medical examination, advice and treatment.

+ Families will check body temperature of kindergarten kids and students of elementary and secondary schools; students of postsecondary schools, learners, teachers, school administrators and staff will check their own temperature before coming to school.

+ Strictly follow the order to wear masks on the way to school.

- When students come to school.

+ No parent or unauthorized person is allowed to come into school. The school shall place persons to pick up kindergarten kids and elementary students at the school gate. Check body temperature of students, teachers, school administrators and staff before they come into school and classes.

+ Arrange seats between 2 students far enough as guided by the health branch; monitor and give regular reminders to students, teachers, school administrators and staff to ensure the social distance outside classes, offices as prescribed; wear masks properly; wash hands with soap regularly; do not share personal belongings; throw trash in the trash can; promptly report to the school's leadership if any student, teacher, school administrator or staff member shows abnormal health signs for further actions.

+ Salute the flag and carry out educational activities within classroom; stagger the beginning time, break time, end time of the school day between grades to create suitable distance; monitor and remind students not to gather in the playtime.

+ Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, hand-washing stations, toilets, stairways, school buses as prescribed.

+ Raise awareness of students, teachers, school administrators and staff about measures to prevent and control pandemic.

- End of each class session

+ Strictly follow the order of social distancing when going outside the school gate and wear masks on the way home.

+ The school maintains cleaning and disinfecting school buildings and classrooms as prescribed; check and supply sanitizers or soap and other necessary supplies for next class sessions.

2. Actions taken against cases showing symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath or suspect COVID-19 cases in school (attached Appendix).

The Ministry of Education and Training requests Directors of Departments of Education and Training, Directors of universities, institutes, Headmasters of senior colleges, pedagogical colleges and pedagogical post-secondary schools to strictly direct and follow the above-mentioned guidelines; as well as take responsibilities for inspecting and supervising prevention and control of epidemics under their authority and send timely reports to the steering board of prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic affiliated to the Ministry of Education and Training via email [email protected] or telephone 078.678.3535. 

APPENDIX

ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST CASES SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF FEVER, COUGH OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH OR SUSPECT COVID-19 CASES IN SCHOOL
(Enclosed with Official Dispatch No. 1398/BGDDT-GDTC dated April 23, 2020 of Ministry of Education and Training)

Upon detection of a student showing any of symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or suspect Covid-19 case (hereinafter referred to as suspect) in a school, the following steps must be taken:

1. ISOLATION AND EPIDEMIC INVESTIGATION

Step 1. The teacher temporarily suspends the class and then isolates the suspect at least 2 meters apart from others.

Step 2. The teacher contacts the health worker or the teacher-cum-health worker (hereinafter referred to as school health worker) to carry out the isolation and epidemic investigation.

Step 3. The school health worker must be equipped with protective gear (facial mask, gloves, protective clothing^[2]) and give a facial mask to the suspect and instruct him/her to wear it properly.

Step 4. The school health worker takes the suspect to a separate space in the infirmary or area arranged by the school under guidance of the Ministry of Health in the Official Dispatch No. 1244/BYT-MT dated March 13, 2020.

Step 5. The school health worker takes the history of epidemiological exposure from the suspect:

- Regarding students of upper secondary schools, students of postsecondary schools, learners: ask the suspect in person;

- Regarding kindergarten kids, students of elementary schools and lower secondary schools: invite the suspect’s parents to school and ask about the history of epidemiological exposure of the suspect and take suitable action.

Content of epidemic investigation:

- In the last 14 days, if the suspect came to or back from an outbreak as warned by the Ministry of Health (inbound or outbound area).  If yes, state specific place;

- In the last 14 days, if the suspect has been in close contact (living in the same house, studying in the same class, sharing space or having physical contact in the distance ≤ 1-2m, traveling in the same vehicle, etc.) with those coming back from outbreak as warned by the Ministry of Health, or with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 cases. Seek medical advice from health workers of communes, wards, or towns or local healthcare units as per regulations to assert his/her history of epidemiological exposure.  Invite health workers of region, district or province to support if necessary.

2. ACTIONS TAKEN AFTER EPIDEMIC INVESTIGATION

2.1. The suspect has no epidemiological exposure

- The school health worker shall refer the student of postsecondary school or learner by themselves, or refer the kid or student of primary or secondary school together with their parents to the nearest health facility for timely action if they show signs of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Keep records in the health logbook of teacher and student as specified in the Joint Circular No. 13/2016/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT dated May 12, 2016 of Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training on healthcare at school;

- The teacher lets the class keep studying.

2.2. The suspect has epidemiological exposure

a) Referral to health facility for isolation and treatment

The school health worker shall cooperate with the health station of commune or local competent health authority in referring the suspect to a health facility as per regulations on isolation and treatment. The referral of the suspect shall comply with regulations on prevention and control of infection.

b) Action taken at school

- Regarding close contact, the school shall follow guidelines of the local health authority;

- Announce all teachers, students, students’ parents that the school is closed until a new announcement is made. Keep regular contact with students and students’ families to update wellbeing of students;

- Disinfect environment: Disinfect and take actions against outbreak environment as guided by the Ministry of Health.

^[1] Decision No. 736/QD-BGDDT dated March 13, 2020 on amendments to clause 3, clause 4, clause 5 Article 1; point b clause 2 Article 4 Decision NO. 2071/QD-BGDDT dated June 16, 2017 promulgating framework plan of academic year for preschool education, compulsory education and continuing education applicable from 2017-2018;

Official Dispatch No. 1113/BGDDT-GDTrH dated March 30, 2020 on guidelines for adjustments of curriculum in second semester of academic year 2019-2020 applicable to lower and upper secondary schools;

Official Dispatch No. 1125/BGDDT-GDTH dated March 30, 2020 on guidelines for adjustments of curriculum in second semester of academic year 2019-2020 applicable to elementary schools;

Official Dispatch No. 1175/BGDDT-GDTX dated April 6, 2020 on guidelines for adjustments of curriculum in second semester of academic year 2019-2020 applicable to continuing education.

^[2] The protective clothing must be changed before the wearer goes outside the infirmary and be washed with detergents or soap before being reused and not be washed together with other garments.