Sri Lanka to re-open schools under four stages. 3884 schools will be reopened for students from Grade 1 to 5 under the first stage.
A Technical Committee has been set up comprising Presidential Task Force to Prevent COVID-19, Health Ministry and Education Ministry to make recommendations to re-open Government schools, and in compliance with the Committee decisions, schools will be re-opened under four stages, Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Professor Kapila Perera stated.
As vaccines need not be given to children below 12 years, and the pandemic is gradually diminishing, 3884 schools will be reopened for students from Grade 1 to 5 under the first stage. At the same time, students of the age groups 12 to 15 and 16 to 19 will be vaccinated on the full approval of pediatricians soon after the Technical Committee recommendations are released, Professor Perera said.
Provincial, District and Divisional level officials of the Health and Education sectors will be consulted about the plans to re-open schools within this week. After taking into consideration their views as well as the advice of the Health Ministry and recommendation of the Education Ministry school will be re-opened once the travel restrictions are lifted the Secretary said.
The Ministry Secretary told a media briefing organized by the Department of Government Information on September 24 to educate the people on the re-opening of Government schools as COVID-19 gradually dies down. The briefing was held at the Department’s Auditorium.