PRIME Minister Voreqe Bainimarama confirmed the school holiday had been extended to two weeks in areas badly affected by Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston.

The Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts had directed for all schools to remain closed this week following the aftermath of Severe TC Winston to allow parents and managements to cleanup their homes and schools.

As a result, the term one break will be reduced to one week only.

However, Mr Bainimarama told this newspaper classes would resume next week only in areas that were not greatly affected by the cyclone.

“We (government) need to concentrate on health centres, schools, government centres. We know the team has gone out to make surveys but in the meantime we can start working on the schools so we need the community at large to clear up the schools,” Mr Bainimarama said.

“We are going to put up temporary school accommodation so that it can accommodate students in the next two weeks when they start.

“Next week all the schools from these areas that were not really damage will start and we will look at the schools that have been extensively damaged — that’s where the manpower is required and the sense of urgency from the people at large, communities and villages to come and assist in clearing the schools and putting up temporary shelters is needed.”

He said they would start finding alternative shelters to accommodate people billeted in schools used as evacuation centres.