School Terms Follow Established Pattern for Next Three Yrs
EducationThe dates for terms and holidays for state primary and secondary schools have been set for the next three years, Education Minister Wyatt Creech announced today.
"The Government's consultation Green Paper on School Terms and Holidays has provided enough feedback for me to set the dates for school terms and holidays until the year 2000. Setting the dates in advance should give schools certainty to plan for the future," Mr Creech said.
``Responses to the Green Paper were overwhelmingly in favour of having four school terms, each of approximately ten weeks,'' said Mr Creech.
``There was some opposition to the four term year from some in the secondary sector who found it did not suit their programmes as well as the three term year. It included the strong feeling that the fourth term did not have enough weeks for students to prepare for exams. I have taken heed of this view," he said. ``I am working with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, to achieve a later national examinations start date to accommodate the concern. This issue will be reviewed in time for 1998.''
All state schools will be expected to follow the published dates, although minor variations can be determined by individual school boards of trustees. Summer school holidays will also follow the established pattern.
Mr Creech said people clearly did not want the pattern of even-length terms to be disrupted in order to always have Easter in school holidays.
Primary schools are required by law to be open for instruction for 394 half-days each year, and secondary schools for 380 half-days. To make up the difference, primary schools generally start a few days earlier than secondary schools and finish a few days later.
``We have to be very careful when looking at changing the length of the school year to make sure that students do not lose any of their entitlement to education,'' said Mr Creech. ``However, after substantial consideration of this I have decided to allow some flexibility for local decision-making.
``For example, there may be a few cases where all parents and local groups in a community agree that the local primary schools could move to the shorter length of the secondary year, with a correspondingly longer school day.
``This will be allowed only with the approval of the Ministry of Education and will only be given where there is clear local support for the change after other affected schools have been fully consulted.
``I have directed the Ministry of Education to report to me on all the policy issues involved in the length of both the primary and secondary school years.
``In general, the Government is very pleased with the outcome of this Green Paper consultation with the community. The actions we are taking reflect the majority opinion,'' concluded Mr Creech.
END
For further information please contact
Anna Hughes (04) 4719 819
or Ministry of Education contact:
Ross Boyd, Operations Support Manager
Phone: (04) 471-4462
Attachment: Details of term dates. The 1998 dates were announced in June.
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1998
NEW ZEALAND STATE SCHOOLS TERMS AND HOLIDAYS
The following dates have been approved by the Minister of Education. These dates take into account public holidays but do not include the local anniversary day holiday. Dates for primary and secondary schools are the same for terms two and three.
Totals for the year - Primary 394 half-days - Secondary 380 half-days
Primary Schools
Term 1 Wednesday 28 January to Thursday 9 April (102 half-days)
(Easter Sunday - 12 April)
Term 2 Monday 27 April to Friday 3 July (98 half-days)
Term 3 Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September (100 half-days)
Term 4 Monday 12 October to Wednesday 16 December or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 394 half-days. (94 half-days)
Secondary and Composite Schools
Term 1 Tuesday 3 February to Thursday 9 April (94 half-days)
(Easter Sunday - 12 April)
Term 2 Monday 27 April to Friday 3 July (98 half-days)
Term 3 Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September (100 half-days)
Term 4 Monday 12 October to Friday 11 December or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 380 half-days. (88 half-days)
Holidays
Primary, Secondary and Composite Schools
10 April to 26 April
4 July to 19 July
26 September to 11 October
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1999
NEW ZEALAND STATE SCHOOLS TERMS AND HOLIDAYS
The following dates have been approved by the Minister of Education. These dates take into account public holidays but do not include the local anniversary day holiday. Dates for primary and secondary schools are the same for terms two and three.
Primary and Intermediate Schools
Term 1 Wednesday 27 January to Thursday 1 April (94 half-days)
(Easter Sunday - 4 April)
Term 2 Monday 19 April to Friday 25 June (98 half-days)
Term 3 Monday 12 July to Friday 17 September (100 half-days)
Term 4 Monday 4 October to Tuesday 14 December or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 394 half-days. (102 half-days)
Secondary and Composite Schools
Term 1 Tuesday 2 February to Thursday 1 April (86 half-days)
(Easter Sunday - 4 April)
Term 2 Monday 19 April to Friday 25 June (98 half-days)
Term 3 Monday 12 July to Friday 17 September (100 half-days)
Term 4 Monday 4 October to Thursday 9 December or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 380 half-days. (96 half-days)
Holidays
Primary, Secondary and Composite Schools
2 April to 18 April
26 June to 11 July
18 Sept to 3 October
Primary Schools
15 Dec to 25 Jan 2000
Secondary and Composite Schools
10 Dec to 31 Jan 2000
Waitangi Day Saturday 6 February
Good Friday 2 April in school holidays
Easter Monday 5 April in school holidays
Easter Tuesday 6 April in school holidays
Anzac Day 25 April is on a Sunday
Queen's Birthday Monday 7 June
Labour Day Monday 25 October
The local Anniversary Day.
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2000
NEW ZEALAND STATE SCHOOLS TERMS AND HOLIDAYS
The following dates have been approved by the Minister of Education. These dates take into account public holidays but do not include the local anniversary day holiday. Dates for primary and secondary schools are the same for terms two and three.
Primary and Intermediate Schools
Term 1 Wednesday 26 January to Friday 7 April (106 half-days)
(Easter Sunday - 23 April)
Term 2 Wednesday 26 April to Friday 30 June (94 half-days)
Term 3 Monday 17 July to Friday 22 September (100 half-days)
Term 4 Monday 9 October to Wednesday 13 December or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 394 half-days. (94 half-days)
Secondary and Composite Schools
Term 1 Tuesday 1 February to Friday 7 April (98 half-days)
(Easter Sunday - 23 April)
Term 2 Wednesday 26 April to Friday 30 June (94 half-days)
Term 3 Monday 17 July to Friday 22 September (100 half-days)
Term 4 Monday 9 October to Friday 8 December or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 380 half-days. (88 half-days)
Holidays
Primary, Secondary and Composite Schools
8 April to 25 April
Waitangi Day Sunday 6 February
1 July to 16 July
Good Friday 21 April - in school holidays
23 Sept to 8 October
Easter Monday 24 April - end of school holidays
Easter Tuesday 25 April - end of school holidays
Primary Schools
Anzac Day 25 April - same day as Easter Tuesday
14 Dec to Late Jan 2001
Queen's Birthday Monday 5 June