Millions of Venezuelan students return to school after COVID-19 closures

A girl walkes down the school hall to go to the bathroom to wash her hands, on the first day back to in-person instruction after it was suspended due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Caracas, Venezuela October 25, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela on Monday reopened public schools and universities which serve more than 11 million students, after a long closure amid the coronavirus pandemic, though some schools remained closed for repairs or because of lack of staff.

President Nicolas Maduro's government has delayed the restart of in-person classes several times, amid new peaks in infections and vaccination delays.