Longer primary school day?

Press, 13 March 1986, Page 3

Longer primary school day?

A suggestion that rural primary schools be open for an extra half-hour every day will be considered by Mr Marshall after his meeting with the Canterbury Education Board yesterday. A board member, Mr Kelvin Dunbar, told Mr Marshall that many pupils were left at school early in the morning and picked up about 3.30 p.m. because their school bus also had to travel to a secondary school. When secondary schools were closed, but the primary ones remained open, the buses were only half full, and ran at a loss, he said.

Mr Dunbar said one solution would be to open primary schools 15 minutes earlier, and close them 15 minutes later.

The extra half-hour a day would then mean the schools could be closed for the length of the secondary school holidays, he said. Primary schools must be open for 400 half-days a year, while secondary schools only need to open for 380. Mr Bruce Ferrand said he also favoured the suggestion, as it would save transport costs. “I am sure the Minister of Finance would be delighted at the saving in school transport,” he said. However, Miss Marjorie Ockenden said she did not support any proposal that would lengthen the day for young children. Mr Marshall said he had not considered the idea before, but it was worth pursuing.