Students from class 3A3, Kim Dong Primary School, Hanoi, attend the online school opening ceremony on September 5, 2021.

In his letter to the education sector, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the sector is facing a big challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He requested that no children, especially those from remote areas and disadvantaged backgrounds, be excluded from education during the 2021-2022 school year.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the online school opening ceremony took place at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted and was broadcast live on multiple platforms. Delegates spent a minute commemorating the deceased due to COVID-19. Chairmain of the municipal People’s Committee Phan Van Mai said this year’s school opening ceremony is unforgettable to 80,000 teachers and 1.7 million students in the city. He said he hopes parents and teachers will continue to support and contribute to the city’s education sector.

Students in Can Tho city watched the local ceremony on Youtube and local television. "Watching the ceremony on television is safer for me. The new school year has officially begun. I will try my best to get good results and pass the university entrance exam," said Phan Le Anh Tuan, a 12-grader of Bui Huu Nghia high school.

Students from northern mountainous provinces including Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai attended in-person and online school opening ceremonies. Trinh San San of class 5D, Kim Dong Primary School, Yen Bai city, said: "I feel very lucky to be able to go to school while many students in pandemic-hit localities have to study from home. Learning at school is important to me because I need to prepare for secondary school."

For the first time, students in Na Ma village, Phuc Long ward, Bac Kan province get to study at a newly-built school with electricity and several teaching aids thanks to the donations of the Voice of Vietnam and other sponsors. Teacher Phan Thi Phuong said: "We are very excited about this school year. Students will enjoy a more advantageous environment. In the past, we would have to visit families and encourage parents to let their students go to school. But now, they even ask me when the school year starts."