TEHRAN, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Ministry of Education announced Tuesday that all the country's schools will reopen as of May 16, after almost three months of closure in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak.

File photo by CGTN

Iranian Education Minister Mohsen Haji Mirzaee said that the teachers and school staff will be available at schools in the working hours, according to Tasnim news agency.

It is not obligatory for the students to attend the schools, but they can partake in classes to ask their questions and get prepared for the exams, Haji Mirzaee was quoted as as saying. 

The schools can also run the final exams as of next week as soon as the students' problems with the lessons are addressed, Haji Mirzaee noted.

All schools across the country have received the health protocols and instructions from the health ministry and will be obligated to observe the health rules when the students return to classes, he said.

The educational centers in Iran have been closed since late February following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.   

On Tuesday, Iran announced a total of 110,767 confirmed cases, of whom 6,733 have died.