According to the new regulations of the Department of Education and Training (DET) of Ho Chi Minh City, the time for entering the first class for primary, secondary and high school students is about 7-8am, ending the morning class from 10:30am onwards.
In the afternoon, schools can schedule the first class at 1pm-130pm, after school from 4pm to 5pm. For preschools, the school welcomes children at 7-8am, returning them from 4pm onwards.
Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc (Binh Chanh commune) said that when reading the new regulations, she felt relieved. "Previously, my child left school at 3pm, while I only finished my shift at 4:30pm. Many days I have to ask to go out to pick up my child, then take him to the company, which is both inconvenient and worrying about him. Now that my child has left after 4pm, I can work with peace of mind," she shared.
Sharing the same view, Ms. Nguyen Lan Nhi (Binh Dong ward) said that the new regulation is more reasonable.
"In fact, if parents are office workers, civil servants, public employees, ... they will often disband after 4pm. Therefore, if your child leaves school before this time, parents will find it difficult to arrange because not all workplaces allow them to leave their position in the middle of the school year to pick up their child," said Ms. Lan Nhi.
Mr. Ho Tan Minh - Chief of Office of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City - admitted that even Department staff have encountered difficulties when their children leave school from 14-1500.
"Many parents, including employees in the Department, have to quit their jobs in the middle of the hour to pick up their children. Therefore, arranging reasonable school hours is very important," he said.
However, some parents expressed concern that traffic congestion may increase. Mr. Tran Van Thang (Binh Chanh commune) analyzed: "Previously, school dismissal times were different, some places had 3pm, some places had 4:30pm, so traffic pressure was reduced. If they leave at the same time around 4pm and 5pm, and it is the same peak time as the dispatch, the risk of traffic jams can be more serious."
To limit this situation, the Department also requires schools to open their doors to welcome students from 6:30 am, to avoid letting students come or leave too early to gather in front of the school gate.
Facilities located near each other on the same route must coordinate to arrange a minimum 15 minute school dismissal time to reduce traffic congestion. The People's Committees of wards and communes are assigned to be responsible for inspecting, supervising, and handling violations.
Schools proactively arrange flexible timetables, ensure students' health, and closely coordinate with authorities to implement effectively.
