By A Correspondent- Schools will not break for the traditional first school holidays incorporating the Easter and Independence Day holidays.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on Wednesday, however, said there would be no classes on these public holidays which run from Friday, 2 April (Good Friday) to Monday, 5 April (Easter Monday) 2021.

The school calendar for this year has not yet been announced but it is likely that there will be three normal-length terms each of 60 teaching days.

This entails that there will be very short school holidays once weekends and public holidays have been taken into account.

Traditionally schools open for the first term early in January, with the first term ending shortly before the late March and April public holidays and the second term ending just before the Heroes and Defence Forces.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the normal school calendar has been set aside and a new calendar is expected to be finalised before the 15th of March.

On Tuesday, the government announced a phased reopening of schools, with examination classes commencing on 15 March while the rest of the learners will resume classes on 15 March.

In her post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said:

Cabinet agreed that the school calendar for 2021 starts on a slightly phased approach, with the examination classes opening on 15th March and the rest on 22nd March 2021.

Teachers for examination classes should therefore report for duty on the 10th of March, and the rest on 17th March, 2021.