Gao Xunxuan, a student of No.4 Primary School in Wanli District, attends an online class at home in Nanchang City, east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Peng Zhaozhi)

As more schools in China opened the new semester online amid the COVID-19 epidemic, many are keeping the routine of patriotic education, and training students for awareness of the coronavirus.

Primary schools and high schools in Yuexiu district, Guangzhou of South China's Guangdong Province launched a "raising national flag" online ceremony on Sunday morning, South China Daily reported Tuesday.

Patriotism, scientific disease prevention and life education are key contents of Guangdong's "first class of semester."

The ceremony in Yuexiu invited Cai Weiping, a chief doctor from the local No.8 People's Hospital, who had participated in battling the 2003 SARS epidemic, to deliver a speech. He said that it is meaningful for students to continue learning amid the current epidemic.

Meanwhile, more than 10,000 students participated in the online opening ceremony of the semester in Aksu prefecture, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, featuring the raising of the national flag and singing of the national anthem, according to their local publicity department on Tuesday.

Though staying at home, students put on their school uniforms and Young Pioneers wore red scarfs. A student representative also saluted to those working at the frontline against the COVID-19 epidemic.

After the ceremony, students watched videos showing stories of medical staff aiding Hubei Province and knowledge about preventing COVID-19.

"Through these ways, we want to tell students that there are many brave people fighting the epidemic, and let them understand the meaning of life," said Bai Xiuping, Party secretary at the No.4 Primary School of Aksu.

Tens of millions students in China have started the new spring semester via online platforms in the past week, and more are joining in. 

The COVID-19, originated from Wuhan, Hubei, has infected more than 72,000 and killed 1,870 by 4 pm, Tuesday.