PUPILS are largely in favour of a shortened four-and-a-half day week — and not simply because they can flee school early on a Friday.
Dumfries and Galloway Youth Council members have revealed that some teenagers want to have freedom to explore other learning opportunities outwith their high schools, writes Marc Mclean.
This was underlined by teenager Stewart Walker, a youth councillor with Dumfries and Galloway Youth Council. He made a statement to the education committee meeting last week directly from a school classroom via video link.
Stewart said: “We did recently put out a survey for the youth so we could accurately represent their views on the four-and-a-half day week.
“This got 674 responses, 72 percent were in support. In specifics, that was not just the expected response of pupils saying they didn’t enjoy school.
“In reference to one of them (responses), they had noticed that they’d never been able to have a select period of time to go over their hobbies, go over any outside learning courses like Open University. It’s not accessible within normal hours outside of school and they’re not able to upskill themselves and gain these extra trades.
“Generally speaking, with a half Friday it would allow a lot more regular time, and more convenient time, for them to go for any appointments as well as extra-curricular learning.”
