Letter: Holiday folly

As a long-retired teacher I have no self-interest in the present debate about shorter holidays (your report, 24 May).

Along with my normal teaching day, I used to take up to 90 minutes of rugby practice twice a week after school in the winter and spring, and the same for athletics in the summer.

I also took a weekly social badminton club for two hours and ran in a photographic club when time permitted. Most of my evenings were spent marking pupils' work and preparing lessons, in hindsight to the detriment of my commitment to my own family.

I am sure this situation is the same for many of the profession today. To suggest shorter holidays and more time spent in school I consider utter folly.

If those who propose shorter holidays were to try teaching even for a few weeks, they would soon become aware of the stresses of everyday contact with 20 to 30 sometimes recalcitrant pupils and of the mountain to climb to keep up with the syllabus.

Eric Campbell

Walton Crescent

Dollar