Schools are to remain closed for an additional week, announces the government's Covid-19 spokesperson, Mohamed Mabrook Aziz.

Mabrook made the announcement while speaking at Monday's press conference held by the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) at Dharubaaruge.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) released a statement shortly after, instructing all schools, tuition centres and Quran classes to temporarily halt classes for an additional week, effective of March 22nd under the powers granted to the Director-General of Public Health as per section 34 of the Public Health, reads the statement released by HPA on Saturday.

Schools were originally set to re-open after the mid-term holidays on March 15th, however, this was delayed to March 22nd and has once again been postponed further by an additional week.

This decision comes shortly after HPA on Saturday ordered universities and other educational institutions to suspend classes until 29th March. While schools will now also re-open on the same date, the Ministry of Education has arranged a teleclass programme to digitally conduct classes for Grade 10 and 11 students. This programme will be broadcast on Public Service Media (PSM)'s YesTV.