Classes in Beijing will resume gradually starting April 27 after a months-long suspension due to the coronavirus outbreak.

High school seniors will be the first to return to classrooms on April 27, followed by middle school seniors who'll resume classes as of May 11.

The national college entrance examination, also known as gaokao, will take place on July 7 and 8, according to the Chinese Ministry of Education. The graduation exam for high school students, which usually takes place ahead of gaokao, will be held on July 9 and 10 this year.

The high school entrance examination for middle school students will take place on July 17 and 19. 

Back-to-school dates for non-graduation grades, kindergartens, secondary vocational schools, colleges and universities have not yet been decided.

Schools that are about to reopen have been asked to take precaution measures to ensure the safety of returning students.

According to Beijing authorities, students and faculty members returning on the reopening dates should have been in Beijing for at least 14 days. Staff should report for duty 10 days ahead of the reopening date in preparation for class resumption.

All students and faculty who recently returned from outside Beijing should undergo a 14-day quarantine and report negative nucleic acid tests before being allowed to return.

Those who have contracted the virus or have an infected family member should wait for approval to return, even if they've recovered. Those exhibiting fever, cough and diarrhea, even with the absence of a COVID-19 diagnosis, should wait until the symptoms disappear before returning to school.

The schools are also being asked to disinfect the facilities including classrooms, offices, libraries, and bathrooms; prepare enough personal protection equipment such as face masks for teachers and students with difficulties. Protective measures for the rest of the students should be prepared by parents.

Daily temperature checks will be mandatory, and emergency treatment rooms will also be set up, authorities have said.

An evaluation mechanism will be put in place, with education and health departments, as well as disease control center joining hands to evaluate whether schools meet the standards for reopening.

(Cover image: File photo from VCG)