Should NZ ditch school holidays and leave it up to parents when kids take time off?

June 6, 2018

A mother in the UK suggests children shouldn’t be having holidays at pre-determined times.

The union for secondary school teachers has poured cold water on an idea of giving school children four weeks annual leave to take when it suits them and their families.

A mother in the UK has suggested kids shouldn't be having structured holidays at pre-determined times.

Instead they should be given flexible leave so working parents can take time off when their schedule allows, and take the kids out of school then.

TVNZ1's Seven Sharp asked should we do away with official "school holidays" in New Zealand?

A working mun, Sally, said she thinks it would be great to be able to take your kids away at a time that suits parents.  

"At the moment, it's quite hard to juggle holidays even if the workplace is really flexible," she said.

But a working dad, Tony, said if you allow variability for the children and the schools, "I think you'll get to stage where everybody's trying to reset every term".

The Post Primary Teachers' Association agrees with him, and argues the focus should always be on children's learning and what's best for them, rather than what's more convenient for parents.

The PPTA says flexible leave is part of an adult's world, and kids need structure, and the time to kids. 

Brent Thomas of House of Travel said a number of parents would love the idea of doing away with set school holidays. 

"The cost of holidays overseas at that time is quite prohibitive. So if they could spread it out that would certainly be something people would like to see. And maybe they could then get away overseas which normally they can't afford to," Mr Thomas said. 

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