Johor school off days to follow new weekend from Jan 1

PENGERANG: Public schools in Johor will have their official off days on Saturday and Sunday starting Jan 1 next year despite the current school term ending on Jan 18, says state education and information committee chairman Aznan Tamin.

He said this would be in line with the decree made by Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim for the state to revert its weekend holiday to Saturday and Sunday effective Jan 1, 2025.

Since 2014, the government sector in Johor has observed Friday and Saturday as their off days while most of the private sector, including commercial banks, had Saturday and Sunday off.

“The implementation of the weekend holiday in Johor will be made before the final school holiday of the current school term session which ends on Jan 18 next year.

“A meeting was held between the Johor Education Department and the Johor Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ) regarding the enforcement of weekend holidays on Saturdays and Sundays starting next year,” he added.

Aznan said this when met during the sidelines of the Legal Literacy Carnival held at Dewan Kejora in Bandar Penawar here yesterday.

He also said the change would involve 583,373 students and more than 48,000 teachers in the state under the Education Ministry.

Aznan added that the Johor Education Department will cooperate with the District Islamic Education Office (PPID) to facilitate the change, especially for the schooling hours on Friday to enable Muslims to attend Friday prayers.

“There is no problem with having school on Fridays as morning session students will end earlier at noon while the afternoon session will start at 2.30pm,” he said.