Hanoi schooling guaranteed despite heavy rains, floods

Schools in Hanoi have found ways to adapt to the harsh weather conditions so that classes can continue as planned.

Despite the severe weather, a local school continues to operate normally. Photo: The Hanoi Times

According to the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, 126 schools across the city have either temporarily suspended face-to-face classes or switched to distance learning due to the risk of heavy rains and urban flooding.

Of the schools affected, four are high schools, while the remaining 113 are primary, secondary, and pre-school institutions. Most of these schools are located in low-lying, flood-prone areas, with only a few located in metropolitan districts.

The two central districts that have temporarily closed schools are Hoang Mai, with one school, and Ha Dong, with three schools. These include Van Yen Secondary School, Anh Duong Kindergarten, and Phu Luong Primary School.

Schools in rural areas are the worst affected. In Thanh Tri, 43 schools were closed. This is followed by Thuong Tin with 24 closed schools and Chuong My with 23. Other districts with fewer closures include Ba Vi, My Duc, Thanh Oai, Phu Xuyen, and Dan Phuong.

Many schools have switched to online teaching due to the continued heavy rainfall in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi.

Pham Van Ngat, Director of the Thanh Tri District Department of Education and Training, said the district was a low-lying area close to the river.

"The heavy rains on the night of September 9 caused deep flooding on many roads leading to schools, making it unsafe for students," he said. "The next day, schools were closed and classes were moved to online platforms."

On the morning of September 10, the High School for Natural Sciences, under the University of Science under Vietnam National University - Hanoi, announced that students would not attend classes in person. Instead, the school switched to online learning in the afternoon due to severe flooding on its campus.

Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School allowed students to go home at 2 pm on its two campuses in Thanh Tri and Cau Giay districts.

Principal Nguyen Quoc Binh said only a fifth of the students at the Thanh Tri campus attended classes in the morning, and only a few teachers made it to the school as the roads were severely flooded.

The Foreign Language Secondary School under the Vietnam National University - Hanoi's University of Foreign Languages has started distance learning from today (September 11) until further notice.

Classes end ahead of schedule

Nearly 2,800 schools across Hanoi continued face-to-face classes as planned. However, many released students early in the afternoon in anticipation of worsening weather conditions.

Roads in Ba Vi District flooded after the storm. Photo: The Hanoi Times

Phan Huy Chu High School in Dong Da District allowed students to leave at 1.30 pm yesterday. The school started online classes today (September 11) until further notice.

Similarly, Thai Thinh Primary School in Dong Da District allowed parents to pick up students early on September 6 due to concerns about Typhoon Yagi, which has brought heavy winds and rain. This policy remained in place today (September 11).

Most parents agreed with this policy as they were concerned about the potential dangers of heavy rain and storms, which could cause road blockages and pose a risk to the health and safety of their children.

Given the unpredictable weather, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training has instructed schools to prioritize the safety of students, teachers, and staff.

District-level education departments, vocational training centers, and schools have been urged to keep up to date with weather developments and check the condition of facilities and equipment daily to ensure safety before classes resume.

The Department also advised schools severely affected by the storms to plan for online learning to ensure continuity for the 2024-2025 academic year.

In response to these directives, district education offices and related departments have dispatched staff to schools to oversee flood prevention efforts. This includes moving equipment and important documents to higher ground, assigning staff to monitor schools around the clock, and coordinating with local authorities to clean and disinfect facilities once the floodwaters recede.

Schools have also worked with parents to ensure that they have the necessary equipment and resources to support distance learning so that the school year can continue despite the disruption.