Mamuzu, Mayotte—— Students on the French island of Mayotte are preparing to return to school on Monday, more than six weeks after the African island was hit by its worst hurricane in nearly a century, destroying entire communities and villages and causing widespread damage.

Teachers returning to work this week found that many of their classrooms were missing roofs or a few windows. It's unclear how many students will have desks and chairs to sit on when they return to study.

At Littleland High School in the town of Pamanzi, locals and firefighters were busy reinforcing the frames of some major buildings and covering large holes in the roof with clear tarps.

Since Hurricane Cheetos struck in December, work has been underway to repair damaged schools in the archipelago, in a race against time to ensure they are safe for students.

After another tropical storm this month, teachers' return to school was postponed, and about 120,000 students are expected to gradually return to school next week.

Assistant Principal Peggy Guillerez noted that while Lycée de Petite Terre, which has about 2,000 students, was not as damaged as some other schools, several classrooms were still unusable.

“We built a great student union building, but it was mostly destroyed,” she said. "Overall, however, only 12 rooms are vacant, which is a small number given the size of our school."

Many buildings have no usable furniture and some facilities remain uninhabitable.

Firefighter Colonel Olivier Bruyère, who is overseeing the reconstruction effort, said his team had deployed more than 60 people to protect the site.

"We've removed anything that could cause damage and covered every possible spot with tarps to keep the building dry," Bruyere said. "We've also removed damp, collapsed ceilings and installed tarps wherever possible. The wooden frame was rebuilt in the case.”

Many students and teachers still struggle with a lack of shelter, electricity and running water, and it's unclear how many will be able to return to school. About 300 teachers went on strike on Thursday to denounce the conditions under which students will return to school. They are also demanding financial aid for colleagues who have lost their homes.

Authorities said Chitto was Mayotte's worst hurricane in 90 years. While 39 people have been confirmed dead, French Prime Minister François Bellew warned during a visit to the islands that the final death toll could be in the hundreds.

Authorities faced challenges in recording the storm's toll because many of those affected were undocumented immigrants and because it is Muslim practice to bury the dead within 24 hours of death.