SCHOOLS will remain closed until further notice as Cyclone Tomas bears down on the country this weekend.
The Ministry of Education instructed all school principals and headteachers to send students home before midday yesterday as an alert was issued.
The Disaster Management Committee (DISMAC) warned that Cyclone Tomas would be "upon Fiji in the next few hours".
"Teachers are to make necessary arrangements with parents and bus companies for immediate pick-up of children from schools in town and urban areas," a ministry statement said. It urged parents and guardians to remain calm while collecting children to avoid chaos and obstruction to teachers who were supervising school dismissal.
"Parents are requested to collect their children from schools, which is the safer option," it said.
"For schools in the rural and outer islands, teachers are similarly advised to see that children are briefed of the approaching cyclone and warned to go straight home and not linger on the way."
Students in the Northern Division returned home before midday yesterday after the warning. Students in Labasa, Savusavu, Taveuni and Bua ended school at 11.30am and were excited to be in town as they looked forward to an extended weekend.