More than 5 million students in Shandong have switched to online education as a result of the latest COVID-19 outbreak in the province, local officials said at a recent news conference.

A student does his homework in front of a computer. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Shandong authorities said that the move was designed to protect the safety and health of students and teachers in areas affected by the pandemic.

According to Sun Xiaoyun, deputy director of the Shandong Provincial Education Department, online classes have officially started in six cities in Shandong, including Qingdao, as well as seven counties, county-level cities, and districts in four other cities, involving 4,619 primary and secondary schools and 4.4 million students. More than 1.1 million undergraduate students have enrolled in online courses at 45 institutions and colleges around the province.

In addition, 162 secondary vocational schools and 63 vocational colleges have launched online education courses.

In light of the current epidemic situation, Shandong has formulated online teaching guidelines for primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher learning, as well as special protection plans for key groups, such as graduate students.

In everyday teaching activities, the province has specified the course duration and sports time for primary and middle school students. It also established a psychological consultation hotline to promote the mental health of students.