Sri Lanka has spent around $570,000 on COVID-19 precautionary measures in schools around the country, state media reported on Monday.

The Minister of Education, Gamini Peiris, said this in Colombo. Peiris was quoted in state-owned Daily News as saying that sets of equipment have been provided to schools in order to protect the health of children ahead of classes restarting in the New Year.

He said that schools would be reopened in isolated areas on Jan. 11 following consultation with health officials.

The minister said that teachers and ministry officials would meet between Jan. 4 to 11 to discuss the implementation of health and safety protocols.

So far, Sri Lanka had recorded 44,774 cases, 213 deaths and 37,252 recovered.