Most schools in Hanoi reopen after Typhoon Yagi

The Hanoi Department of Education on September 17 said that nearly 2,900 schools in the capital had resumed classes after Typhoon Yagi, while 59 remained closed.

The city's education department has instructed schools to clear mud and debris from classrooms and prepare the necessary conditions for normal operations.

"Over the past few days, the students have seen with their own eyes the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yagi. It reminds them of their responsibility to protect the environment and help prevent the negative effects of climate change," Do Thi Thu Trang, a 53-year-old teacher at Lomonosov Education System in Nam Tu Liem District, told The Hanoi Times. 

The grounds of Lomonosov My Dinh Primary School in Nam Tu Liem District have been cleared of damage from Typhoon Yagi to welcome students back. Photo: Anh Kiet/The Hanoi Times

Nguyen Thi Hong, Headmistress of Ba Trai A Primary School in the outskirts of Hanoi's Ba Vi district, said: "Immediately after the storm, all teachers actively coordinated with local authorities to clear mud and debris, clean classrooms to ensure safety, and welcome our students back to school."

Chu Van Kiem, Principal of Phu Linh Primary School in Soc Son District, said 100% of students from grades 1 to 5 had returned to school. "The storm brought down nine trees at the school and caused some other damage. But thanks to a storm response team set up before the typhoon hit, which cleaned up and secured the premises, we are ready to welcome students back," Kiem told The Hanoi Times. 

Pupils at Phu Linh Primary School in the outskirts of Hanoi's Soc Son district return to school shortly after Typhoon Yagi passed. Photo courtesy of the school

Some 20 kindergartens, 20 primary schools, 18 secondary schools and one high school are still unable to reopen because they are located in low-lying areas, their access roads have all been flooded with water and mud, or many families of students had to be evacuated and have not returned.

Many families of students and teachers are also struggling to cope with the aftermath of the typhoon.

There were no human casualties in Hanoi's schools after the typhoon, but there was heavy material damage. Statistics from the city's Department of Education and Training show that nearly 10,000 trees were uprooted and felled in the city's schools, 45 schools were flooded, 202 lost power, 457 roofs and classrooms were blown off, 913 doors were broken and 3,580 meters of walls collapsed. 

Fallen trees at Kim Dong Primary School in Hanoi's Ba Dinh district. Photo: Tin Tuc Newspaper

The local agencies and schools have taken urgent measures to quickly overcome the consequences, clean up the environment, ensure safety, and welcome students back. 

Super Typhoon Yagi and its aftermath have devastated Vietnam's northern mountainous provinces and the Red River Delta, causing significant human and material damage, including to the education system. As many as 17 schools have been completely destroyed, while 99 others are still closed for repairs in several places in northern Vietnam. 

A school in the northern province of Lao Cai threatens to collapse after a landslide on September 11. Photo: Tien Phong Newspaper

Speaking at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 16, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son noted that the education sector had suffered heavy losses.

"At least 17 schools in Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces were completely buried by landslides and flash floods and would have to be rebuilt," Son said. "Another 99 were also badly damaged and would remain closed for repairs."

The Education Minister has asked for financial support from the state budget to build makeshift schools while waiting for funds to rebuild the 17 others.

On September 14 and 15, the Ministry of Education (MOET) sent teams to the most affected localities of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Cao Bang, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, and Lang Son to inspect facilities and plan for reopening.

Many educational facilities in the north and northeast have suffered severe flooding, with many classrooms losing roofs and structures collapsing. Teaching equipment and students' learning materials have been blown away or severely damaged.

One of the hardest hit areas is Hai Phong; the exact monetary cost of the losses is still being determined. In Yen Bai Province alone, nearly 20,000 students lost or had damaged textbooks, and the cost of replacing them is expected to exceed VND9 billion (US$367,000). 

Kien Thuy High School in the northern city of Hai Phong is in a state of disarray following the Yagi storm. Photo: The Hai Phong Department of Education and Training

Despite efforts to clean and disinfect classrooms, 99 schools in 6 provinces remain unable to resume classes due to ongoing flooding. The affected areas include Lao Cai (83 schools), Cao Bang (1 school), Bac Kan (3 schools), Tuyen Quang (1 school), Yen Bai (3 schools) and Bac Giang (8 schools).

Minister Nguyen Kim Son said MOET has worked with UNICEF Vietnam and other international organizations to secure a commitment of $4.05 million to support food, textbooks, and educational materials for students.

The Ministry has also been working closely with publishers to ensure a steady supply of textbooks to affected areas and prevent disruptions in education. Publishers have already donated 2,000 sets of books and mobilized resources to print an additional 10 million copies.

Together with the Vietnam Education Union, MOET continues to mobilize sponsorships and calls for further support to ensure that students and teachers in affected areas can recover from the typhoon's devastating effects.

To date, 52 students and children have lost their lives, 3 students are missing and 8 students are injured. The deaths of 3 teachers and the disappearance of 1 teacher have also been confirmed.