Muizz's solution to school holidays: Month-long term break in Jun-Jul; main holiday in Dec

PPM-PNC presidential candidate Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday offered his solution to the school holiday controversy, saying that the main school holidays will be shifted back to December with another one-month holiday given as term break in the middle of the year.

The school holidays in Maldives have long coincided with November and December. But from 2021, the main holiday has been scheduled for mid-year, coinciding with June and July.

Some people are unhappy with the change in the holiday. Several parents say they get caught in the thick of the southwest monsoon that hits hard in June-July, interfering with their holiday plans.

In response to complaints, the education ministry has said it had changed the main holiday based on the weather patterns over the past five years and found no significant difference between the middle and end of the year.

Despite the education ministry's statement, Muizz, speaking at a campaign rally in Dh. Meedhoo on Wednesday evening, said that under his rule, the main holiday would be shifted back to December.

This has once again led to a controversy. While some parents liked it, the resort staff have been strongly opposed to it.

They argue that the existing change in holidays is an important change, supported and appealed by a large majority of tourism industry workers with socio-economic benefits. They say it will once again make it difficult for them to get leave because it will coincide with the busiest time of the year for the tourism industry, as tourists flock to the island nation during the European winter months.  

Muizz said on Thursday that he would address the concerns of the resort employees and announce the details.

Speaking at a rally in F. Nilandhoo on Thursday evening, Muizz said the promise to move the holiday to December has made the employees of the resorts somewhat confused. Muizz explained: