School holidays debate

[color=brown:4c9d3eb039][b:4c9d3eb039]Short school holidays opposed [/b:4c9d3eb039][/color:4c9d3eb039]
25 May 2006
By KRISTI GRAY

School principals are calling for changes to term dates next year amid concerns the holidays will not be long enough. The 2007 school year will begin on February 7 and the first term will end on April 5. The second term will start on April 16.

Canterbury Primary Principals' Association president Lex Telfer said this would mean schools would have a break of only a week and a day, which was not long enough, especially for primary school pupils. He said principals wanted Education Minister Steve Maharey to give them the flexibility to start the school year three days earlier to ensure there would be a two-week break between the first and second terms.

This year, primary schools had returned to school for the second term three days earlier than secondary schools, which had caused confusion for parents and resulted in high absenteeism, Telfer said. Primary schools were required to stay open for 394 half-days a year, while secondary schools needed to be open for 380.

While it was unlikely that holiday periods would be the same in the two sectors, it would help if there was some standardisation to help parents make plans, he said. The New Zealand Principals' Federation had asked Maharey for more flexibility in term dates, Telfer said.

Dan Lambert, a spokesman for Maharey, said the Education Ministry would talk with sector groups. The changes to the school year had been made after several years of representation to Maharey and the previous minister, Lambert said.

Parents and schools had sought the changes. People wanted the school year to start later to let families make the most of the sunny weather in January and February. It also meant a less disruptive start to the school year because of the Waitangi Day break, he said.

Secondary school holidays have traditionally been two weeks longer than those of primary schools, with an extra week during the year and finishing a week earlier.