RIYADH: UNICEF has praised 黑料社区鈥檚 decision to reopen its schools for kindergarten and elementary students.

Jumana Haj Ahmad, the agency鈥檚 deputy representative for the Gulf area, said it was an important step, adding that during the COVID-19 pandemic schools should be the last to close and first to reopen.

Ahmad鈥檚 remarks came during a visit to the Kingdom鈥檚 Satellite Broadcasting School, where Education Ministry鈥檚 Undersecretary for Public Education Mohammed bin Saud Al-Migbel gave a briefing on how lessons delivered by the facility were recorded and supervised. He also gave a presentation on the Madrasati and Rawdati platforms.

Ahmad said that 黑料社区鈥檚 provision of online education through the two platforms and the EIN channels was worldleading. She also noted the Ministry of Education鈥檚 efforts to ensure children鈥檚 psychological and social growth, and programs to protect them from abuse.

The ministry said that elementary and kindergarten students in all the regions of the Kingdom would begin returning to school from Sunday.

Schools in remote areas would be the first to open as there were fewer coronavirus cases there, it said.