Concerns before the new school year: When schools serve as centralized quarantine areas

Schools become centralized quarantine areas

Nam Can is one of the three communes with the largest number of people returning from epidemic areas in the district.Ky SonAs of August 4, Nam Can commune had 154 citizens returning from the southern provinces. To quarantine these people, the commune had to requisition 3 schools in the area to serve as quarantine centers.centralized quarantine area. Of which, there are 14 people at Nam Can Kindergarten; 47 people at Nam Can 1 Primary School, the rest are quarantined at Nam Can Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities.

Nam Can Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School, which is being used as a centralized quarantine area for nearly 100 citizens returning from epidemic areas. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In addition to using the boarding area as a centralized quarantine area, the commune has also borrowed classrooms and functional buildings to serve as workplaces for members of the Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention and Control; and as cooking areas to serve citizens in quarantine as well as forces participating in the fight against the epidemic.

According to Mr. Xong Ba Lau - Vice Chairman of Nam Can Commune People's Committee, among the 154 citizens returning from the southern provinces, the most recent person returned on August 4. In particular, there are 12 F1 cases, forced to quarantine in a separate area of ​​Nam Can Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities. Because they returned from a locality implementing Directive 16, they must be quarantined for 14 days, so the earliest the quarantine areas will be full is August 19.

That is the case if in the coming days, Nam Can has no citizens returning from the epidemic area. However, in reality, the number of people returning from the southern provinces has not shown any signs of decreasing, there are still many people who want to return to their hometowns, so it is not known when the centralized quarantine areas will be full.

Quarantine area for 12 F1 cases in Nam Can commune. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In Na Ngoi commune, according to a survey, the commune has more than 300 citizens working in other provinces. When the Covid-19 epidemic broke out, most of these citizens wanted to return to their hometown. By August 5, 167 citizens had returned and were quarantined for 14 days at 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school in the area.

“Because citizens arbitrarily ride motorbikes back to their hometowns without registration, the commune is very passive, not knowing when they will return to arrange appropriate quarantine. All current centralized quarantine areas must be returned to the school soon to prepare.new school year. If citizens continue to return, the commune will be forced to requisition community houses to serve as centralized quarantine areas. However, most of the community houses are located in residential areas, without fences, without toilets, etc. Citizens have to live together, so it is difficult to ensure factors to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic" - Mr. Mua Ba Gio - Chairman of the People's Committee of Na Ngoi commune said.

Chieu Luu Secondary School for Ethnic Minority Boarding Students' Quarantine Area. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In the whole Ky Son district, 47 schools are being used as centralized quarantine areas. Setting up centralized quarantine areas in schools is a convenient solution for localities, because there are many rooms for quarantined subjects, and other auxiliary conditions such as places to eat, sleep, organize cooking and hygiene. However, this also leads to some difficulties for schools, especially when there is only about 1 month left for students to return to school.

Concerns before the new school year

On August 4, the Ministry of Education and Training decided to issue the 2021-2022 school year schedule framework for preschool education, general education and continuing education.

Specifically, the earliest school start date for students nationwide is September 1, 2021; for grade 1, the earliest school start date is August 23, 2021; the opening ceremony is held on September 5, 2021; the first semester ends before January 16, 2022; the second semester education plan is completed before May 25, 2022 and the school year ends before May 31, 2022.

Many schools are still being used as centralized quarantine areas. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In Nghe An, according to the Department of Education and Training, the whole province has nearly 500 schools in localities such as Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Anh Son, Thanh Chuong, Que Phong, ... being used as centralized quarantine areas. Of which, there are nearly 300 preschool schools, more than 110 primary schools, more than 60 secondary schools and a centralized quarantine area located at the Center for Continuing Education - Vocational Training of Dien Chau district.

In Ky Son district alone, there are more than 17,000 workers living and working outside the province, of which more than 10,000 are expected to return during this epidemic. In this fourth outbreak alone, Ky Son has nearly 2,900 citizens returning to their hometowns, quarantined at 47 centralized quarantine areas including kindergartens, boarding schools, and semi-boarding schools in the area.

“Currently, in Ky Son district, there are 71 schools, of which 47 are being used as centralized quarantine areas. Of which, the school with the largest number of quarantined people is nearly 200 citizens, the school with the least number of people is 9 people. According to the plan of the Ministry, the district education department will organize for students to return to school on August 23. As for schools, points, and schools in remote areas, students can return to school earlier,” said Mr. Phan Van Thiet - Head of the Education Department of Ky Son district.

Many classrooms and functional buildings have been requisitioned as resting and cooking places for forces participating in the fight against the epidemic. Photo: Thanh Cuong

However, the new school year is approaching, but citizens returning from epidemic areas still show no signs of stopping. Schools that are being used as centralized quarantine areas must continue to receive people for quarantine,...

Regarding this issue, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Son district Nguyen Huu Minh said: To prepare for the new school year, as well as the work of preventing and fighting the epidemic in the area, Ky Son district has planned to requisition cultural houses, community houses, separate schools and unused agency headquarters to serve as centralized quarantine areas. The facilities will be returned to schools soon for cleaning, disinfection, and preparation to welcome students back to school.