The Education Ministry has released the 2021 school academic calendar.

According to the calendar, schooling days are back to the normal 194 days.

Education Minister Mohd Radzi Jidin told Parliament today that the dates for the new school year were decided after considering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, reported The Star.

The changes see the school term start on the third week of January (Jan 20, 2021), instead of the usual Jan 2, every year.

As for the year-end school holidays, it has been shortened to 22 days (Dec 10 - Dec 31, 2021) for schools in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu, and Dec 11- Dec 31, 2021 (21 days) for schools in the other states.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO) enforced to contain the spread of the disease caused the closure of schools for at least four months, before they were gradually reopened.

However, this year's Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) exam for Standard Six students, and the Form Three assessment (PT3) for Form Three students, were cancelled.

Other major examinations, such as Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), as well as Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM) and the Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM), were postponed to the first quarter of next year.

You can view the full academic calendar at the Education Ministry website at https://www.moe.gov.my/takwim/takwim-sekolah-2021.


Photo source: Astro Awani