Berhampur: After 23 days, schools in flood-hit Ganjam district reopened on Monday. Schools had been closed for the puja vacation and heavy rainfall and floods under the influence of the cyclone Arnab since Oct 17.The district administration, however, extended closure for six govt-run schools — five from Aska and one from Sorada blocks — till Tuesday as the restoration activities are still on. Similarly, classes of nine schools affected by floods will be temporarily conducted in nearby schools to facilitate restoration activities, said Ajay Kumar Patra, district education officer (DEO), Ganjam.These schools are in Dharakote (4), Kabisurya Nagar (2) and one each in Bellaguntha, Patrapur, Sheragada and Sorada. Once the repair works are completed, these schools will run as usual, he said, adding that restoration works were going on in full swing and were expected to be completed very soon.Altogether 498 out of 3,890 govt-run schools across the district have been damaged due to the devastating floods triggered by the heavy rain, while damage was reported from 129 schools. A total of 1,039 classrooms have been fully or partially damaged. The boundary walls of 215 schools across the district have collapsed.Schools in Aska (43), Dharakote (20) and Purushottampur (19) blocks have been worst affected by the floods. The computer systems, science laboratories, books in libraries, textbooks, sports equipment and the rice stocked for the mid-day meals in several schools were damaged by the floodwater, sources added.The DEO said govt has decided to provide textbooks to the flood-affected students. The distribution of textbooks of Classes IX and X will be started from Tuesday, as govt provided 56,000 textbooks for these two classes. Priority will be given to the schools submerged in the floods. In the next phase, the distribution will be held for other classes and schools, he said.Meanwhile, several social activists demanded a write-off of the tuition and examination fees of the flood-affected schools’ students in the district. “We have submitted a memorandum in this regard to the chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi through revenue divisional commissioner (RDC), southern division, here,” said Abani Gaya, a social activist.