The Department of Education have ensured the public of the changes in learning and teaching in the country during the National General Elections.
Secretary for the Department of Education Dr. Uke Kombra said that teachers and students around the country must take note of school term dates for Primary and Secondary schools.
As instructed, the previous school terms dates have been revised and changed and now coincide with the election dates.
Adjustments were only made to school terms 2 and 3, and not term 4.
The school calendar as per revised and instructed goes;
- Term 2 Holiday starts – 04th July 2022
- Term 2 Holiday Ends – 15th July, 2022
- Term 3 starts – 18th July, 2022
- Writs Open – 12th May, 2022
- Close of Nominations – 19th May, 2022
- Polling starts – 02nd July, 2022
- Polling ends – 22nd July, 2022
- Return Writs 01st August, 2022
“The previous dates which were consistent with the original calendar dates to the elections but with the revised dates were issued by the electoral commission we had to change these so that they are consistent and most of the polling takes place. What we have done was change 1o weeks of term 2 to 11 weeks and reduce 11 weeks of terms 2 to 10 weeks so in total for the whole year we will still have or maintain the 41 weeks of school so there is no lessons that are missed out due to the elections,” said Dr. Kombra.
He said said that school boards, teachers and students are urged to observe the 2022 National General Elections and the revised National Department of Education calendar.
Dr. Kombra said there will be no changes to the examination dates this year.
“Elections in the past years have affected teaching and learning in schools, for the Department of Education when we have set the dates for examinations we don’t change the dates of examinations. For so many decades we have issued and the undertaken of examinations we have never change the dates and we will maintain that. So the examination dates will not change if there are instances of students of schools being affected at the school level, district level or provincial level we will then address the specific cases,” said Dr Kombra.