The Education Ministry is planning to re-open State schools which have been closed for over a year due to the Covid-19 global pandemic, in several phases from this month.
Education Minister, Prof. G. L. Peiris said they were considering re-opening 2,962 schools with less than 100 students, adhering to strict health guidelines, under the first phase before the end of this month. Two-thousand centres to assist children without online facilities, will be opened islandwide until the schools are fully functioning,
These centres will be set up at identified Mahindodaya laboratories, schools, temples and community halls all over the country starting from tomorrow, the Minister said.
A Ministry official said it is necessary to vaccinate the 242,000-strong academic staff and the non-academic staff working in schools before the re-opening to make the program a success and prevent school Covid-19 clusters.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last week had permitted the vaccination of school staff as a matter of urgency when this matter was raised at the Covid-19 stakeholder meeting.
A road map for school re-opening, to guide officials on how to implement this program ensuring the safety of the children, is to be prepared by the ministry in consultation with Health officials soon.
