Private schools in Abu Dhabi have informed students with students to suspend studies for a whole week, starting from tomorrow until next Thursday, and have described the decision as a mid-term vacation.
Parents of students repeated their objection to the large number of academic breaks, noting that the students returned less than a month before the first semester leave, and their duration reached 21 days, demanding the cancellation of the last vacation and adding its days to the summer vacation.
And school departments that stopped studying in the middle of each semester attributed the desire to reduce the burdens on the teachers and students.
In turn, the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi confirmed that schools are obligated to inform school staff, students and parents of the annual school calendar. She said that the minimum school calendar should not be less than 175 school days per academic year.
In detail, parents whose children are studying in private schools confirmed that they received a notification, last Wednesday, that school will stop starting tomorrow, under the name of “mid-term leave”, which caused them confusion, especially the families in which the parents work, and they have no one to care for the children, What requires one of them to obtain leave from his work.
They pointed out that "stopping the studies every month does not benefit the students, and their concentration is distracted, as most of them believe that the leave is for rest. Upon returning to school, he needs time to get used to commitment and study again, and then it is soon that he will get a second leave, ”noting that“ exaggeration in the length of the school year, even though school stops several times, brings harm rather than benefit. ”
They added that if the curriculum does not need all the days specified in the school year, it is better to shorten it, and to include the breaks to the summer vacation.
They pointed out that the first semester witnessed the same leave, and it follows that the number of days remaining in the first semester are not sufficient to complete the curriculum, which led to the teachers explaining under time pressure, to finish the curriculum, and to explain more than one lesson per class sometimes.
In contrast, school administrations in Abu Dhabi reported that stopping studies in the middle of each semester, aimed at reducing the burden on teachers and students, especially since the second half of each semester includes formal tests at the end of it, which are preceded by the evaluation examinations.
The Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi confirmed that it specified the school calendar and the minimum hours of teaching at a minimum of 175 school days per school year, and the school principal can discuss the school calendar with the school board of trustees, provided that each school presents its school calendar eight months before the start of the year Study to obtain department approval.
The actual school days - including exam days - are 185 days, compared to 90 days of weekly and official holidays and semester holidays.
Students:
"If the curricula do not need all the days specified ... it is best to shorten the school year."