Mid-term holidays this year have different dates for different schools, and this has created a further burden for parents of children who have to juggle between their duties – which in many occasions include their employment – and the holidays their children will enjoy.

The autumn mid-term holidays are usually on 1 and 2 November, but the fact that 2 November will this year fall on a Saturday has given schools the option to programme their mid-term closure.

While the government schools will be closing on Friday and Monday – Friday is All Saints Day, while Monday will make up for All Souls Day, celebrated on 2 November – independent and Church schools will not all follow suit.

Some have chosen to have holidays on Thursday and Friday, while others have opted for Monday and Tuesday.

There are therefore parents who have children who will be on holiday at the end of this week with their siblings to have their holiday at the start of next week.

“It is very unfortunate for parents in this situation,” one irked mother told The Malta Independent. “Instead of having two days of holidays to deal with, I have four,” she added.

She urged the authorities to look into the matter so as to avoid the same thing happening in the future. “If the government wants more women to work and for employers to be more open to such employment, these situations should be avoided,” she said.

The government cannot impose on Church and independent schools when to programme their mid-term holidays, but an agreement should be reached so as to create the least inconvenience possible to working parents, she added.