| Ministry Says School Starts Next Tuesday |
| Thu, December 29, 2016 |
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Tonight, if you're a parent of a child in pre, primary or high school, you probably aren't sure what to do with them next week: should you keep them home, or send them to school? And that's because there have been very conflicting messages coming out of The Ministry of Education and the School Managements on one hand, and the Teachers Union on the other.
Up to yesterday the BNTU sent a release telling teachers and students to enjoy the full three weeks of their Christmas vacation - and return to school as originally scheduled on January ninth.
Well, today the Ministry of Education sent a public service announcement clearly re-stating the official position. It says, quote: Teachers and students at pre-primary, primary and secondary levels are to report to school on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017
The announcement adds that School Bus Runs will be operating starting on the third.
The announcement also re-states Managing Authorities of both primary and secondary schools met with the Ministry of Education and unanimously agreed to add 6 days to the school calendar, to make up for the 11 days lost to last year's strike action. The release also stresses that teachers will still get the thirty vacation days that teachers are entitled to in the Education Rules. The statement adds that the Government has committed to providing a bonus to teachers who worked through the strike, and are now being asked to go back to school early.
The Belize Association of General Managers of Pre and Primary Schools also re-issued its press release today saying that it supports the official position and that school resumes on January third - not the ninth.
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