Nadhim Zahawi, 54, told the Commons Education Select Committee that there are “excellent examples” of schools that have introduced longer teaching hours and suggested that other institutions should increase their day. school at 6.5 hours. Committee chair Harlow MP Robert Halfon, 52, called on his Conservative colleague to advocate for increased school hours.
Mr Halfon said: “We know from the Education Policy Institute that it increases the level of education by two to three months, especially among disadvantaged students.
“We know that a longer school day, according to the culture, media, sports department, increases the calculation by 29%.
“So that increases the level of education. “
“Will he at least consider pilot projects in disadvantaged areas of the country where we can have a longer school day? “
Mr Zahawi, who replaced Gavin Williamson in the Education Department following the Prime Minister’s reshuffle in September, responded by saying: ‘I think the priority has to be for children and students, who have the least. of time available to them to recuperate, which is why the £ 800million for 16-19 additional 40 hours of education is so important.
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“Plus £ 1bn for secondary and primary, making a total of £ 5bn in salvage money.
“There are great examples… of a longer school day that I’m going to watch.
“The average school day is now 6.5 hours and I would like everyone to come close to that average. “
However, Zahawi’s comments were criticized by a major education union.
Paul Whiteman, secretary general of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: “The gains that might be made by lengthening the school day must be weighed against the costs of such a strategy, including the impact on health. student mental health, reduced time spent with family and less time for extracurricular activities.
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“The happiness and well-being of children must be a priority as well as their education. “
The MailOnline reports that Dr Suzanne Cogswell, Associate Researcher at the University of Kent, said: ‘The proposal to catch up with longer school days and shorter school vacations may not be without its own set. problems for students and teachers.
“Forty percent of teachers already do over 21 hours of schoolwork overtime each week on their evenings and weekends.
“The consequence of this is that teachers experience the highest level of work-related stress in the UK. “
Despite concerns, the member for Stratford-upon-Avon also criticized the so-called anti-vaxxers.
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Mr Zahawi, who was the successful government’s vaccine minister before his promotion to education secretary, also said: “There is no place for anti-vaccines to harass or approach. school leaders. “
According to the MailOnline, the education secretary also told the Commons: “As we did throughout the vaccination program, we operated on the advice of the chief medical officers and acted quickly as soon as possible. advice was made available to vaccinate 12 to 15 year olds.
“During the vacation period that has been extended to the out-of-school vaccination and now that they are going back to school, this continues at a steady pace.
“There have been dangerous behaviors on the part of anti-vaccines.
“There is no place for anti-vaccines to harass or approach school heads and I have the assurance of the Minister of the Interior that she will make available all the resources including the The sector needs to ensure that these people in our schools are protected and able to continue teaching and protecting children. “
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