The Sri Lankan government is to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday with donors and foreign governments on reconstruction of schools affected by the Dec. 26 tsunami.

With the assistance, a total of 176 schools damaged will be reconstructed, according to a press release from the Education Ministry, which added the signing will take place at the Finance Ministry.

The Sri Lankan government will not spend on the reconstruction, the release said.

The tsunami disaster fully destroyed 74 and partially damaged 102 schools in the country, affecting more than 90,000 students, according to figures from the Center for National Operations (CNO).

A rebuilding plan of the CNO has proposed that 73 of the affected schools be relocated, 100 be rehabilitated and three amalgamated with schools nearby. The total cost is estimated at more than 10 billion rupees (about 100 million US dollars).

(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2005)