Wee Ka Siong Deputy Education Minister

There are no occasional holidays for schools in the country as this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri falls during the school break said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong.

“It is not that we do not allow it. It is because coincidentally, the holidays fall at the same time. Schools need to have a good reason to request occasional holiday,” Wee said responding to media report of unhappiness among school principals in Terengganu over rejected application for extra holidays.

He said extra holidays were allowed for Chinese New Year and Deepavali this year as they did not coincide with school holidays. Unlike replacement holidays, occasional holidays need not be replaced.

Asked if the ministry would consider reviewing the matter, Wee said he would leave the matter to Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom, who is currently overseas.

The school break is scheduled for Sept 4 while Hari Raya Aidilfitri falls on Sept 10 and 11, at the tail end of the break that ends on Sept 12.

School heads are reported to be unhappy with the ministry and questioned why applications for occasional holidays were rejected since teachers and students would have to go back to school on the third day of Hari Raya.