School Hours Under Review | Cork News

Cork News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 6, 2026 · 1m

School hours and breaks are under review as the Department of Education weighs whether kids need longer days—or more downtime. With junior and senior infants often finishing an hour early, parents are already stressed by pickup chaos. The outdated 1995 rules also allow up to 56 school closure days a year, excluding July and August. Some lawmakers want to emulate Finland’s model with 15-minute breaks throughout the day, while a former teacher argues the current schedule is too packed—blaming curriculum overload for “fried” kids. His solution? Focus on core subjects, character development, and…