Egypt's Minister of Education Tarek Shawky said on Tuesday that schools nationwide will be closed for the three days of the upcoming presidential elections on 26-28 March, according to a statement by the ministry.

Egyptian schools will take the days off to facilitate the voting process, the ministry spokesperson Ahmed Khairy said.

Polling places are usually held in public schools during national elections in Egypt.

In late February, Egypt's National Elections Authority (NEA) approved President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Moussa Mostafa Moussa, the head of the Ghad Party, as the final candidates in the upcoming presidential elections.

Run-offs, if they are to take place, are set for 24-26 April. If no run-offs are necessary, the winner will be announced on 2 April.