Phnom Penh: 22 provinces and Phnom Penh have reopened schools, with only two provinces, Preah Vihear and Siem Reap yet to go back to school. It could be an even longer wait in Preah Vihear, with authorities deciding to designate at least one village as a red zone for two weeks from Wednesday.
As previously reported by EAC News, Siem Reap is also reeling with a surge in Covid-19 cases, forcing authorities to close several areas to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. The province has about 400 public schools and about 50 private ones.
Meanwhile, the director of the Kampong Chhnang Provincial Education Department, Sem Prem, says that since the opening of schools on 20 September, they have had to close four of them due to Covid-19 outbreaks.
Education Minister, Hang Choun Naron, says to date roughly 160,000 public and private education staff have already been fully-vaccinated, as well as 89% of children under the age of 18. 79% of children under the age of 12 have also been vaccinated. Primary schools are expected to reopen in the next few weeks. Universities received the go-ahead to reopen earlier this week.