I cannot understand the argument put forward by Rosanne De Giorgio (TMID, 12 July), with regard to school hours and holidays.

Teachers should admit to working fewer hours than the rest of the working population, and that they have more holiday than the rest of us too.

All workers enjoy 24 days of vacation leave every year, and work eight hours a day. Teachers work fewer hours every day – six – and have at least two months of holidays in summer, which would amount to at least 40 working days, apart from the other holidays at Christmas, Easter, Carnival and mid-term.

Ms De Giorgio says that she spends long hours after school preparing new activities and challenges. I am glad that she does, but in no way does this make me believe that, on the whole, she works just as much as I do.

She hints that teaching is a stressful job. I agree with her on this too, but which job is not stressful today? Does she think that working for a private company is less stressful? We may not have 30 pupils to attend to in a class, but we have deadlines to meet and bosses to satisfy and, believe me, this is stressful too. And yet we do it for 11 months a year, not for barely eight.

Paul Cassar

San Gwann