YEREVAN. – About 75 to 80 percent of the children in Armenia attended school on Monday, the first day after the winter break.

The Minister of Education and Science, Armen Ashotyan, on Tuesday told the aforementioned to reporters.

“And this percentage is due not only to the illnesses, but also caution by the parents,” the minister said. “By the way, the attendance percentage on ordinary days is 85 to 90 percent. The study process is proceeding in the normal course, the schools were heated until then, but there are villages where the schools classes didn’t start [yet] because of the [lack of] heating.” He added, however, that the classes in these schools will resume during the week.

In Armen Ashotyan’s words, the lost school time will be made up for by either classes on Saturdays, or extra class hours during the weekdays.

Due to acute respiratory infections, the winter break in the schools in Armenia was extended for three weeks.