Sri Lankan authorities reopened schools in the Western Province for senior grades after they were closed in October 2020 due to a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Education Ministry said in a statement on Monday that schools re-opened for students who would be sitting for the GCE Ordinary Level examinations in March under strict health guidelines imposed by the Health Ministry, reports Xinhua news agency.

All classrooms were disinfected on Sunday while students were informed to wear masks and maintain social distance.

However, schools in areas declared as isolated due to the virus spread would continue to remain closed.

The Ministry said that 79,000 students from the Western Province will sit for the GCE Ordinary Level Examination which will be held in March and the decision to re-open schools was taken to expedite their missed studies.

Sri Lanka's Western Province has been declared as a hot bed by the health authorities since a second wave of the pandemic swept through the country last October.

The island nation's overall coronavirus caseload has increased to 58,430, while the death toll stood at 283.

(IANS)