Manama: Bahrain is reviewing delaying the opening of schools by three weeks next year as part of changes in the academic calendar's schedule.
The review of the school year timing aims to include the Ramadan and Eid in the summer vacation, the education minister has said.
"One option we are looking at right now is to have the teachers come back on September 23 and start the school on September 27," Majid Al Nuaimi said. "But as we need to have 180 teaching days, we will have to think of new dates for the end of the school year."
Public schools normally start in the first week of September and end in the fourth week of June, with a two-week mid-year recess, usually in February.
"If we start late, we will either shorten the break in the middle of the year and end schools by the end of June, or we keep the break as it is now and extend the school year until the end of the second week of July," the minister said.
An ad-hoc committee is looking into the matter.
The ministry has often complained about the high absenteeism among students in schools on religious and national occasions.
Ramadan, with its fasting requirements during the day and long evenings with friends, is often cited by students as an excuse for poor academic performance and their tardiness or prolonged absence from schools.
"The ministry hopes to put an end to the often lame excuses by students to explain their absence. Including Ramadan in the summer holidays and replacing the days later means that no days will be wasted," Kemal Dhib, an education ministry adviser, said.
