Cairo: Around 500,000 students on Sunday returned to their classes in public schools across Kuwait after more than a year of closure amid strict measures against the spread of COVID-19.
In-person classes have been suspended in Kuwait since March 2020 with shift to distance learning as part of precautions to curtail the spread of the new coronavirus.
Public schools reopened their gates on Sunday after a vigorous mass inoculation campaign in Kuwait. Local media said that the reopening of schools resulted in traffic congestions in some parts of the country.
Some schools gave away flowers to their students in a gesture of welcome.
Education authorities had earlier said that teachers, administrative staff and children above the age of 12, who are not vaccinated, are required to show proof of a negative PCR every week to enter the school.
However, the Health Ministry said Saturday that students aged above 12, who have obtained one dose of the vaccine against COVID-19, do not need to do a weekly PCR test that is required only from those who have not received any jab of vaccination.
Private schools reopened on September 27
Kuwait, a country of about 4.6 million people, has so far confirmed a total of 411,731 coronavirus cases and 2,451 related fatalities.
