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Principals and teachers have been given more choice over when student-free days occur to better manage planning of the school year, Minister for Education Martin Dixon said today.
From next year, Victorian government schools will have the option of retaining the current three student-free days at the beginning of the school year or changing one or more of these days to later in the year to coincide with school holiday breaks.
Mr Dixon said that the previous Labor Government policy was inflexible and did not allow individual school communities enough options.
"Principals and teachers have said that a commonsense approach was needed where individual schools can decide what works best for them," Mr Dixon said.
Mr Dixon said that in line with this commonsense approach, the first day of term one 2011 will remain a student-free day, allowing each school an appropriate planning day before the arrival of students.
"Principals will now have more flexibility in deciding the other three student-free days," Mr Dixon said.
To ensure the system will operate smoothly, if individual principals wish to reschedule one or more of these student-free days, they will need to submit a request to their regional director.
The principal will also need to outline why the proposed changes to pupil-free changes will benefit their local school community.
"Empowering principals and teachers to make the right decision for their school environment will ensure students have access to quality education," Mr Dixon said.
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