YANGON: Schools in Myanmar will reopen in July, beginning with basic education high schools on July 21, followed by primary and middle schools two weeks later.
The Department of Basic Education said this would include private and monastic schools.
The Private School Teachers' Association said schools would need to strictly follow instructions from the ministry and relevant agencies.
According to reports in Myanmar Times, previously, the Education Ministry had planned to reopen primary schools first but decided against doing so after the public expressed concerns.
During a video conference on May 12, state Aung San Suu Kyi said schools must reopen as soon as possible but with the necessary changes to comply with Covid-19 regulations.
"Schools have to reopen. It won't be easy if we wait to reopen schools only after the disease is controlled," she told officials.
She said while some developed countries had begun implementing online learning programmes, Myanmar was not ready to adopt these measures.
Following this, an announcement for schools to reopen was issued by the Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment on Covid-19.
Detailed rules on how to reopen have been issued. The guidelines include maintaining a minimum 1.8m social distance.
Private schools have expressed difficulties regarding class spaces. They suggested allowing them to teach in the expanded classes instead of inside the classroom with a glass divider.