Chinese vice premier urges efforts to ensure sound start to new school term

BEIJING -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Monday urged efforts to optimize school management further in accordance with the country's adjusted COVID-19 response and fully restore the normal order of school life.

Sun made the remarks during an inspection tour of a number of secondary school and university campuses in Beijing. During the tour, Sun learned about the schools' preparation work for the new semester after the winter break.

Noting that approximately 300 million teachers and students will return to school for the spring semester, Sun called for efforts to safeguard the health of all teaching staff and students, as well as the safety of school campuses.

Before the new school term, the COVID-19 statuses of teachers and students should be monitored closely, and health monitoring and management should be enhanced, Sun said.

She also called for efforts to maintain high-quality education, enhance campus security, and defuse potential risks.