NDO/VNA – More than 17.12 million, or 75.71 percent of the total pupils and students nationwide, are likely to return to school for face-to-face learning from February 7 after Lunar New Year (Tet) holidays, according to the Ministry of Education and Training.

Particularly, 100 percent of high school students in all the 63 cities and provinces across the nation will resume direct learning from the date.

At the same time, about 91 percent of the colleges and universities plan to open for face-to-face studying after Tet.

The ministry reported that the rate of students taking direct learning as of January 25 was 69.3 percent with nearly 15.68 million students going to school.

Fourteen cities and provinces have allowed students to study directly at schools, while 30 combined online and face-to-face learning, and 19 others organised learning activities online or through television.

On January 27, the Ministry of Education and Training issued a handbook on COVID-19 safety at schools, which provides updated guidelines on pandemic prevention and control in schools following recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation.

The ministry also asked education-training facilities to make preparations for direct learning, while coordinating with the local Department of Health and relevant agencies and parents to give training to students on COVID-19 prevention measures and ensure a good control of the pandemic.