Updated 7.20pm
All schools bar four are scheduled to open on Tuesday but parents will be allowed to keep children at home for the day, Education Minister Clifton Grima has said.
Primary state schools in Mellieħa, St Paul’s Bay and Qawra, as well as the Junior College in Msida will be closed on Tuesday, while lectures at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) will take place online, as Storm Harry continues to batter the country.
But other schools across the country will operate as normal, Grima said.
However, parents will be allowed to keep children at home without that absence counting against their attendance record. The exemption will only apply for Tuesday.
The University of Malta said examinations scheduled for Tuesday will be held as planned.
The decision to keep most schools operating was first announced by Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri at a hastily convened press conference on Monday.
Later that afternoon, MCAST announced in a Facebook post that lectures on Tuesday would take place online due to the adverse weather conditions, while stressing that college premises would remain open.
“This is not a campus closure. As MCAST is fully equipped to deliver teaching online, this temporary measure allows academic activities to continue as scheduled while reducing the need for travel”, the college said, adding that campus lectures would resume on Wednesday.
MCAST requested that administrative staff work from home on Tuesday, “where operationally feasible”.
In a Facebook post, the students’ union said it was in contact with university officials regarding the impact of Storm Harry on student activities.
“We are awaiting further official correspondence outlining how the situation will be managed”, the Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU) said, while strongly encouraging students to prioritise safety and follow relevant guidance.
While Storm Harry is expected to bring windspeeds up to Force 9 overnight, the worst of the storm is anticipated to have passed by around 4pm on Tuesday afternoon.
Several parents had voiced their concerns about sending children to school earlier on Monday after the Meteorological Office issued a red (take action) warning and, in separate developments, Sicily and Sardinia announced school closures.
One parent wrote on social media: “Sicily and Sardinia have closed their schools because of the current developing storm and possible dangers. Storm strength predictions are not an exact science. The Civil Protection Department seems worried. Should we have done the same?”
Another parent, whose children attend Mellieħa Primary School, said they would not send their children to school amid concerns over its use of temporary structures pending refurbishment works.
Earlier in the day, the education ministry had said there were no plans to close any schools on Tuesday. It later confirmed the closure of three schools, with the education minister noting that teachers there who travel from Gozo could be impacted by delays or cancellations on the Gozo Channel ferry service.
Authorities have urged the public to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, including those working outdoors. Sea transport and refuse collection services are also set to see disruptions.