Pupils are tired

Some public-school pupils appear tired because the school days are long, and that has a negative effect on learning.

So concludes a report submitted to Parliament today by culture minister Rigmor Dam.

School principals across the country say that pupils do not learn much with the current number of school hours.

The culture ministry’s report suggests setting up a working group to prepare a proposal to adjust classes and subjects in schools.

The working group will also decide whether to cut two hours out of the school week or whether the two hours should be used differently.

Many of the school principals say that simply reducing the number of school hours will not solve the problem. They say is more important to change classes and introduce more practical and artistic subjects. Pupils should also be allowed to select courses from as early as fifth grade, they say.

The number of hours, or periods, in the Faroese school system is high compared with the other Nordic countries. This is mainly because Danish language classes take up many hours.

After the poor results in the 2006 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) test, Faroese authorities proposed to increase the number of hours in the starter classes.

Faroese pupils spend 6.3 percent more time at school than Finnish pupils. Faroese pupils also have significantly more compulsory language classes and fewer arts classes than their Nordic counterparts.

The Ministry of Culture recommends that the school year is shortened by one week, down to 193 school days. Teachers should still work 198 days, so they have a week to assess the school year and prepare the next one.

Parliament will debate the report on Wednesday.

Translated by prosa.fo