Campania Governor Vincenzo De Luca has come under fire from several quarters after ordering that the region's schools be closed until October 30 after a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases.
Premier Giuseppe Conte said that this was "not the best solution" while Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said De Luca's decision was "extremely serious".
Parents, meanwhile, staged a demonstration outside the offices of the regional government in Naples, saying that "today is the darkest day for schools".
School-bus drivers staged a separate demonstration calling for economic support after the decision halted their activities.
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