During the upcoming second phase of Viet Nam's national senior high school graduation examination, which is scheduled to take place between 2 and 4 September, the top priority must be given to enforcing strict infection prevention and control measures for Covid-19 in parallel with creating all the most favourable conditions for candidates so that they can achieve the highest possible results.

Measuring body temperatures of candidates sitting for the already-held first phase of the national senior high school graduation exams

These aforementioned drastic actions were highlighted at the Tuesday meeting chaired by the Da Nang People's Committee Vice Chairman cum Deputy Head of the Da Nang Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Mr Le Trung Chinh.

Statistics released by the Ministry of Education and Training show over 26,000 high school seniors, mainly in Covid-19 hotspots of Viet Nam, namely Da Nang, Quang Nam and Dak Lak, have not yet attended the exam during the already-held first phase of this very important educational event, which not only fetches learners a high-school diploma but also determines admission to universities and junior colleges.

In Da Nang, 10,955 candidates will sit for the upcoming seminal event at 25 designated examination venues across the city.  In particular, 6 other venues have also been earmarked for candidates with a positive test for Covid-19.

Director of the Department of Education and Training Le Thi Bich Thuan said her unit is racing against time to complete all necessary preparations in terms of workforce and equipment for the event.

Officers and men from the city-based High Command of Military Zone 5 are spraying all examination venues with disinfectant, whilst surveillance cameras have been installed here.

All candidates attending the exams will be required to wear face coverings, have their body temperatures checked and use hand sanitizers.

Also, special heed must be paid to ensuring a mandated distance among candidates in exam rooms, guiding them moving in and out of their exam rooms in order to avoid cross-contamination as well as providing candidates who are close contacts of coronavirus carriers with separate rooms of venues for their exams.

If a candidate is found being infected with the coronavirus, he/she will be exempted from attending the exam and will exceptionally graduate. Candidate quarantined after coming in contact with infected patients will take their exams in their isolation facilities or examination venues nearby under the supervision of medical staff. 

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Health Nguyen Tien Hong, a total of 14,000 examinees, examiners, and those who get involved in all stages of the preparations for the exams will have their swab samples taken for coronavirus testing in the coming days.  All candidates will be tested for the virus on 1 September.

As many as 100,000 surgical masks have been provided for the Department of Education and Training to provide for candidates, examiners and related persons.

Currently, there are 40 special candidates, 1 of whom is a F1 contact, 2 are F2 contacts and 37 are put under quarantine, will take their exams at the Ngu Hanh Son District-located Vo Chi Cong Senior High School.

171 examinees currently remaining stuck in other cities and provinces nationwide will be taken back to Da Nang so that they can sit for upcoming exams on time.  Upon their arrival in the city, these candidates will be taken to the municipal Disease Control Centre, located at 315 Phan Chau Trinh to test for coronavirus.

Youth Union volunteers will staff examination venues to measure  body temperatures of all candidates. 

In particular, all dumper trucks carrying soil, stones, sand, and other construction materials will be banned from traveling from 1 to 5 September, in a bid to ensure the ultimate safety of all candidates.

By NGOC PHU- Translated by A.T