The Myanmar government has been planning to reopen basic education schools in the middle of July, an official from the Education Ministry said on Thursday evening.

Myanmar's academic year starts in June after three-month summer holidays from March to June, but this year's term will start a month later.

"We have some concerns over COVID-19, on the other hand we need to prepare not to affect children's education, and participation of parents are much needed," Tin Maung Win, deputy director-general of Basic Education Department under the ministry, told an online press conference.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Sports, the Ministry of Education has been carrying out preventive measures against COVID-19 at basic education schools and parents are asked to help their children cope with epidemic preventive measures at home, he said.

At present, there are over 48,000 basic education schools across the country and some are being used as quarantine facilities.

As of Thursday, Myanmar has reported a total of 199 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with six deaths, according to latest figures released by the Health and Sports Ministry.