Sri Lanka reopens most schools as 3rd term resumes after Cyclone Ditwah

by IANS |

Colombo, Dec 16 (IANS) Sri Lanka on Tuesday reopened most government and government-approved private schools following school closures due to Cyclone Ditwah, a senior official said.

According to Ministry of Education Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa, 9,929 of the country's 10,076 schools reopened, while 147 schools in three provinces remain closed due to ongoing emergency conditions. These schools are in the Uva, Central, and North Western provinces, which were most affected by Cyclone Ditwah, he said, Xinhua News Agency reported.

To support students in disaster-affected areas, the Sri Lanka Transport Board and the Sri Lanka Railway Department will provide free transport services for schoolchildren for the remainder of the year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has prohibited third-term examinations for students in Classes 6 to 10 for the 2025 academic year.

The second phase of the third school term in Sri Lanka was initially scheduled to begin on December 8. However, the Ministry of Education postponed the reopening of schools due to the disaster situation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Last week, officials said Sri Lankan authorities will reopen most tourist destinations and roll out a series of recovery measures to revive its tourism industry affected by Cyclone Ditwah, as the peak tourism season approaches.

Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody told journalists that the botanical gardens, which were temporarily closed due to landslides and safety concerns triggered by the cyclone, will reopen soon. He ordered relevant authorities to implement measures to address landslide risks in these areas.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan tourism officials launched a marketing campaign under the theme "Sri Lanka is ready," targeting travellers from the country's top 10 source markets through digital platforms.

Earlier on December 8, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam revealed that a long-delayed visa-free entry facility for travellers from 40 countries is expected to come into effect in January 2026, as part of broader efforts to accelerate post-disaster recovery and support the peak winter tourism season.

--IANS