YEREVAN -- Armenian universities closed because of the coronavirus pandemic in March will reopen their doors to students next month, Education Minister Arayik Harutiunian has said.
Harutiunian made the announcement after a meeting on August 17 of senior government officials who are coordinating the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Harutiunian added that university classes for freshman students will open on September 1, while all others will start on September 15.
"Universities themselves will decide on how to organize courses, including a hybrid way that will allow online learning. Universities will publish details on their websites and will provide additional information about their curricula," Harutiunian said in a Facebook post.
Last week, Harutiunian announced that classes in all secondary schools in Armenia as well as in vocational training colleges, music, and art schools will begin on September 15.
He stressed that all educational establishments must comply with sanitary and hygienic rules set by the government.
The current state of emergency in Armenia ends on September 11.
Armenia has recorded 41,701 coronavirus cases and 824 deaths since the start of the epidemic.
In recent weeks, however, the country’s heath authorities have been reporting decreasing numbers of new COVID-19 cases and fatalities.
