Myanmar extends closure of preschools to June 30

NAY PYI TAW, Jun 15, 2020, Myanmar Times. The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement has extended the closure of all preschools and nurseries across the country until June 30 to protect children from COVID-19, a senior official said, Myanmar Times reported.

Daw San San Aye, director general of the Department of Social Welfare, said the National Central Committee for Prevention, Control and Treatment of COVID-19, had decided on June 12 to order all voluntary preschools, private preschools, and private residential nurseries to remain closed until June 30.

The government first ordered the closure of preschools and nurseries on March 16, a week before the Health and Sports Ministry announced the country’s first two COVID-19 cases.

“In general, we will reopen all preschools and nurseries when primary schools under the Ministry of Education have reopened,” Daw San San Aye said. “We will issue another announcement when preschools and nurseries can reopen.”

The department plans to give cloth face masks to children aged six months to 5 when preschools and nurseries reopen.

“They will be free. We will provide them for all the children attending preschools,” Daw San San Aye said. “Private schools and nurseries are excluded because they can afford to buy their own.”

She said the department will provide suggestions on radio and television on how parents can protect children at home from COVID-19.

“We will soon release a short video related to child care starring singer and actress Chit Thu Wai,” she said.

The department said it operates 137 preschools and one residential nursery.

It also supervises 1955 voluntary preschools, 944 private preschools, and eight private residential nurseries.

As of June 14, Myanmar had 261 COVID-19 cases, six deaths and 167 recoveries, according to the Health and Sports Ministry. Most of the recent cases were detected among quarantined workers who had returned from overseas.

Also, 76 Myanmar citizens who had returned to the country have tested positive for COVID-19, including 45 returning from India, 13 from Malaysia, eight from the United Arab Emirates, five from Bangladesh, two from Thailand, two from Italy, and one from China.