People wearing masks at a commercial central in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: AFP/VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Thailand's Ministryof Education said on May 21 that it is coordinating with the Ministry of PublicHealth to pave way for the re-opening of schools nationwide on July 1 and toensure the safety of students amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students are at a greater risk ofinfection in schools than shoppers in malls, because they spend five to sixhours together during the school day, a local health official said.
It will be challenging for teachers toensure that students observe the health advisories, such as wearing face masksall the time at school, regularly washing their hands and keeping physicaldistancing.
Up to 3.8 percent of Thailand's COVID-19infections are among those aged between 10 and 19, most of whom contracted thevirus from other family members.
The Ministry of Education had alreadydistributed handbooks to all academic institutions about social distancing andputting personal hygiene as priority.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar government has beenplanning to reopen basic education schools in mid-July.
Myanmar's academic year starts in Juneafter three-month summer holidays from March to June, but this year's term willstart a month later.
In cooperation with the Ministry of Healthand Sports, the Ministry of Education has been carrying out preventive measuresagainst COVID-19 at basic education schools and parents are asked to help theirchildren cope with epidemic preventive measures at home.
At present, there are over 48,000 basiceducation schools across the country and some are being used as quarantinefacilities./.
VNA
