Công văn 3427/SGDDT-CTTT

Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021 providing provisional guidelines on “safe and flexible adaption to and effective control of COVID-19 pandemic”;

Pursuant to the Official Dispatch No. 4726/BGDDT-GDTC dated October 15, 2021 of the Ministry of Education and Training providing guidelines on organization of direct learning activities in educational institutions;

Pursuant to the Directive No. 18/CT-UBND dated September 30, 2021 of the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on continuation of COVID-19 pandemic control, revisions to COVID-19 prevention and control measures, and step-by-step socio-economic recovery and development in Ho Chi Minh City;

Pursuant to the Decision No. 3900/QD-UBND dated November 16, 2021 of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City providing provisional measures for “safe and flexible adaption to and effective control of COVID-19" in Ho Chi Minh City;

Pursuant to the Plan No. 3997/KH-UBND dated November 30, 2021 of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on organization of direct learning activities in educational institutions in Ho Chi Minh City in the school year 2021-2022,

The Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City hereby provides provisional guidelines on organization of direct learning activities in educational institutions in Ho Chi Minh City as follows:

1. When organizing direct learning activities, all educational institutions are required to:

- Develop plans and measures for ensuring the performance of COVID-19 prevention and control tasks when organizing direct learning activities with the contribution of ideas by the educational institution’s officials, teachers and employees and student parents. These plans and measures must be appraised and approved by the Steering Committees for COVID-19 control of Thu Duc City and other urban/suburban districts.

- Organize direct learning activities according to the plans of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and People's Committees of Thu Duc City and other urban/suburban districts.

2. Provisional regulations on measures for organizing direct learning activities at various epidemic levels in educational institutions in Ho Chi Minh City

- Educational institutions that provide upper secondary education shall operate according to the epidemic level of Ho Chi Minh City.

- Other educational institutions shall operate according to the epidemic levels of Thu Duc City and other urban/suburban districts where they are located.

2.1. Regarding educational institutions located in Level 1 (low-risk) areas:

Direct learning activities shall be organized while taking into account the strict compliance with regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control adopted by the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Health, People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City.

Educational institutions that provide upper and/or lower secondary education shall fully ensure teaching hours specified in their educational plans. The direct teaching timetable should be designed in such a way that no more than 30 periods per week will be provided. Direct teaching hours will be mainly used for providing curricular subjects and other extra-class activities to resolve difficulties encountered during online teaching period. Educational institutions shall organize the remaining teaching hours (other than 30 periods of direct teaching) of their educational plans online and ensure that learning tasks and educational activities shall be managed through learning management systems (LMS).

2.2. Regarding educational institutions located in Level 2 (medium-risk) areas:

Direct learning activities shall be organized while taking into account the strict compliance with regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control adopted by the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Health, People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City.

Information technology infrastructure systems, other equipment and facilities should be available for adopting other teaching methods whenever the pandemic progresses more complex.

Teaching hours, number of learners and some activities of each grade will be organized according to the following provisions:

a) Pre-school education

+ Classes for children aged 25 - 36 months: 100%

+ Pre-school classes for children aged 3 - 6 years: 100%

- Organization of out-of-school activities such as visiting bookstores, supermarkets, post offices or parks, etc. will not be allowed.

- Parents should be provided with pre-school learning videos to assist them in caring their children at home.

b) Primary education, including literacy classes and post-literacy classes

+ Grade 1 and grade 2: 100% of students and 100% of teaching hours

+ Grade 3, grade 4 and grade 5: 100% of students and 50% of teaching hours

c) Lower and upper secondary education, including educational institutions providing continuing education programs

- Educational institutions shall fully ensure teaching hours specified in their educational plans. The direct teaching timetable should be designed in such a way that no more than 18 periods per week will be provided. Direct teaching hours will be mainly used for providing curricular subjects and other extra-class activities to resolves difficulties encountered during online teaching period. Educational institutions shall organize the remaining teaching hours (other than 18 periods of direct teaching) of their educational plans online and ensure that learning tasks and educational activities shall be managed through learning management systems (LMS).

- Educational institutions may arrange more direct teaching hours for grade-6, grade-9 and grade-12 students provided that no more than 24 periods per week will be provided.

d) Foreign language and informatics centers; educational institutions and units providing life skill education and extracurricular activities

No more than 50% of total learners will attend classes at the same time. Combined direct and online teaching activities should be provided to ensure teaching and learning quality.

2.3. Regarding educational institutions located in Level 3 (high-risk) areas:

Direct teaching activities will be combined with online and television-based teaching.

Local authorities shall, based on their actual conditions, decide educational plans for each class or grade. Direct teaching activities will be mainly organized for students of grade 1, grade 2, grade 6, grade 9 and grade 12. To be specific:

a) Pre-school education

+ Pre-school classes for children aged 4 - 5 years: 100%

+ Pre-school classes for children aged 5-6 years: 100%

- Provision of breakfasts for children shall be not allowed.

- Some extracurricular activities such as swimming, drawing, martial arts, aerobics, etc. shall be limited.

- Organization of following activities shall be not allowed, including festivals, events and buffet meals.

- Parents should be provided with pre-school learning videos to assist them in caring their children at home.

b) Primary education

+ Grade 1 and grade 2: 100% of students and 50% of teaching hours

+ Grade 3, grade 4 and grade 5: Online teaching

c) Lower and upper secondary education, including educational institutions providing continuing education programs

- Educational institutions shall fully ensure teaching hours for curricular subjects.  The direct teaching timetable should be designed in such a way that no more than 12 periods per week will be provided. Direct teaching hours will be mainly used for providing curricular subjects and other extra-class activities to resolves difficulties encountered during online teaching period. Educational institutions shall organize the remaining teaching hours (other than 12 periods of direct teaching) of their educational plans online and ensure that learning tasks and educational activities shall be managed through learning management systems (LMS).

- Educational institutions may arrange more direct teaching hours for grade-6, grade-9 and grade-12 students provided that no more than 18 periods per week will be provided.

- The organization of school’s programs and provision of 2 sessions per day shall not be allowed.

d) Foreign language and informatics centers; educational institutions and units providing life skill education and extracurricular activities

No more than 25% of total learners will attend classes at the same time. Combined direct and online teaching activities should be provided to ensure teaching and learning quality.

2.4. Regarding educational institutions located in Level 4 (very high-risk) areas: Online learning, educational television and assignment of tasks to students for self-learning shall be organized. As regard preschool and secondary education, teachers shall instruct parents to assist and help their children in their learning and playing at home in appropriate form, cooperate with parents to instruct students in safely and effectively using equipment in online and television-based learning, and develop plans for transferring learning materials to students who lack equipment and materials during their online or television-based learning.

Heads of relevant authorities and units are requested to strictly comply with guidelines herein./.

_[1] Pre-schools, secondary schools, continuing education centers, special education schools, foreign language centers, informatics centers, educational institutions and units providing life skill education and extracurricular activities located in Ho Chi Minh City.