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chool activities in Karo regency, North Sumatra, have been disrupted due to Mount Sinabung'€™s increasing volcanic activity in the past week.

The Karo Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Natanail Perangin-angin said that Mt. Sinabung, which is currently on the highest alert level, had been spewing ash clouds.

'€œAlmost all the schools in Tiganderket and Payung subdistricts were covered by volcanic ash. We'€™ve cleaned the ash by spraying water after the principals asked for our help,'€ Natanail said.

He added that the schools that had been damaged were mostly located within a 7-kilometer radius from the volcano.

Natanail said that students whose schools were affected by the eruption had been moved to other schools close to their shelters.

'€œThere are hundreds of students who live in the shelters. For students in elementary and junior high schools, they don'€™t have to pay tuition fee,'€ he said.

While for high schools, he added, it would depend on the policy of the principals whether they should pay tuition or not.