PHNOM PENH: THE reopening of schools in Cambodia will be delayed until year end to prevent a second wave of Covid-19, said the Education, Youth and Sport Ministry.
The Phnom Penh Post reported that as the government moved to offer more digital learning services, about 50 per cent of the country's three million students could not fully access the lessons.
Education, Youth and Sport Minister Hang Chuon Naron said the government's stand was to be careful as it did not want to risk the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
"Opening schools late is much better than opening schools with high risks. This is the stance of Prime Minister Hun Sen."
Chuon Naron said he had a strategy for reopening schools and would reopen them if they could adhere to strict standards.
He said crowded schools that could not adhere to guidelines by the Health Ministry and World Health Organisation would not be allowed to reopen.
"We will continue multi-teaching methods, both online learning and classroom learning. If the Covid-19 situation becomes normal, we will teach as much as possible."
He said three million students were enrolled in state schools, and 30 per cent of them could access smartphones and computers and 30 per cent could learn through television.
"Among the three million students, 1.5 million have accessed the digital education system. The other half depends on the books published by the ministry."
The Phnom Penh Post reported on April 8 that the ministry had issued a letter extending the lower secondary diploma and secondary school diploma examinations for the 2019-2020 academic year to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The ministry will announce new dates for the exams later.