It was decided to end school year for children at day-care centers and from first to fifth grades, and also suspend classes until further notice for fifth to eighth graders, Syria´s Ministry of Education announced.

The announcement specified that this decision was due to the increase in confirmed cases of Covid-19 in schools, especially among teachers.

In turn, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced the suspension of classes at universities and higher education institutes for two weeks.

The decision was made to protect students’ health and also due to serious public transport crisis in the country, Bassam Ibrahim, minister of Education, stated.

According to the Ministry of Health, the highest monthly number of coronavirus cases was confirmed in March.

Syria has been fighting the pandemic amid a crippling blockade and sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union, hampering necessary medical equipment and health supplies import.

mh/pll/rc / fm