A principal of a high school beats a drum at the school opening ceremony to welcome the new school year in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi on Sept. 5, 2020. Nearly 23 million students in Vietnam began their new school year on Saturday under the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam News Agency reported. (VNA/Handout via Xinhua)

Nearly 23 million students in Vietnam began their new school year on Saturday under the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam News Agency reported.

It is estimated that there are nearly 5.4 million pre-school students, over 8.7 million elementary school students, over 6 million secondary school students and more than 2.8 million high school students in the new school year, the news agency reported.

School opening ceremonies were held at schools across the country on Saturday, while schools in areas under social distancing hosted virtual ceremonies with regards to the COVID-19 epidemic situation under the direction of the country's Ministry of Education and Training, according to the news agency.

Photo taken on Sept. 5, 2020 shows children on their first day of the new school year in an elementary school in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi. Nearly 23 million students in Vietnam began their new school year on Saturday under the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam News Agency reported. (VNA/Handout via Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 5, 2020 shows students taking their first class of the new school year in a secondary school in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi. Nearly 23 million students in Vietnam began their new school year on Saturday under the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam News Agency reported. (VNA/Handout via Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 5, 2020 shows students at the school opening ceremony in Vietnam's northern Hoa Binh province. Nearly 23 million students in Vietnam began their new school year on Saturday under the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam News Agency reported. (VNA/Handout via Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 5, 2020 shows students at the school opening ceremony in a high school in Vietnam's central highlands Dak Lak province. Nearly 23 million students in Vietnam began their new school year on Saturday under the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam News Agency reported. (VNA/Handout via Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 5, 2020 shows students at the school opening ceremony in a high school in Vietnam's northern Yen Bai province. Nearly 23 million students in Vietnam began their new school year on Saturday under the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam News Agency reported. (VNA/Handout via Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 5, 2020 shows students at the school opening ceremony in a secondary school in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi. Nearly 23 million students in Vietnam began their new school year on Saturday under the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam News Agency reported. (VNA/Handout via Xinhua)