KATHMANDU, May 28: Pabita Shrestha, a local resident of Kalimati, shared that Sunday holidays have increased her stress. “My two children, studying in Grade 7 and Grade 6 at Gyanodaya Secondary School in Bafal, are school students. I am a working woman in a private office,” Shrestha said on Sunday. “Saturday was fine as a holiday. But coping with an additional Sunday off has become difficult. Seeing my children spend the whole day on mobile phones playing games has raised my concern that they may develop behavioural problems.”
Meanwhile, when speaking with students, they say they do not feel like studying at home during holidays. Ayush Jogi, a Grade 7 student, said with a smile that he completes his homework assigned for the weekend on Saturday itself and spends Sunday playing mobile games. “After the holiday starts, I feel like playing. We live in a rented room and don’t have a playground,” Ayush said. “With Saturday and Sunday both as holidays, staying home for two days feels boring.”
Thirteen-year-old Ayush also expressed his mindset about home life, saying, “My mother goes to work. My sister and I just play on mobile phones. It would actually be better if we could go to school on Sunday.”
According to him, the heavy homework assigned by the school, especially in mathematics for Sunday, is also creating mental stress for him.
In Nepal, the issue of a two-day weekly holiday has still remained at the centre of debate. While the government’s decision to give two days off in a week may be positive for civil servants, in the education sector it has created some level of stress for teachers, students, parents and schools.
Parents' pressure forces reopening of community schools in Ilam
Just a few days ago, after the government decided to introduce Sunday as an additional public holiday alongside Saturday, the debate over a “two-day weekend” in schools intensified. There is growing concern over whether this decision, implemented without proper preparation, will have a positive or negative impact on the education system.
According to Principal Narayan Gautam of Rani Devi Secondary School in Ranibari, Lazimpat, Kathmandu, when schools try to complete the curriculum within the reduced working days under the two-day holiday system, it has created challenges for schools and teachers under the existing curriculum.
“We reduced the 45-day long winter/summer vacation to 30 days and tried to adjust the added Sunday holiday accordingly,” Principal Gautam told Republica. “Teachers face the major challenge of completing the syllabus in less time while also ensuring good results.”
According to Principal Rita Tiwari of Padma Kanya Vidyashram Secondary School in Dillibazar, Kathmandu Metropolitan City is also trying to manage the existing “Book Free Friday” programme. “Parents and students would actually prefer if Sundays were not holidays,” she said. “The federal government has set a full school day until 4 pm on Fridays, but discussions are ongoing about what to do with Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s Book Free Friday programme.”
Suryabir Bahadur Adhikari, principal of Joseph High School in Budhanilkantha Municipality and senior vice-president of the National Private and Residential Schools Association Nepal (N-PABSAN), suggested that instead of a full Sunday holiday, it would be more effective to implement holidays only on the first and last Sunday of the month. He also clarified that Budhanilkantha Municipality has not fully implemented the two-day weekend system.
“The additional Sunday holiday implemented by the government is currently only applicable in government offices. Since it is not being implemented in private companies, offices and businesses, it has increased stress among parents,” said Adhikari. “Children tend to avoid studying at home during two-day holidays and spend more time on mobile phones and gadgets, which is a concern for parents.”
He added, “There is also fear among parents that this might create mental health issues among children.”
Situation in Nepal
Most schools in Nepal traditionally follow a system with only Saturday as a holiday. However, some private and international schools already follow a two-day weekend on Saturday and Sunday.
Especially in international curricula such as A-Level, IB, and CBSE, Saturday and Sunday are both holidays. Experts say a two-day weekend is relatively less practical for Nepal’s education sector. Educationist Bidyanath Koirala said a two-day holiday increases burden on both students and teachers. “In foreign countries, the two-day weekend system works because their curriculum is designed accordingly,” he said. “In Nepal, due to heavy curriculum load, limited academic days and an exam-focused system, implementing a two-day weekend has become challenging.”
The government has stated that the decision for a two-day weekend aims to improve students’ mental health, increase teacher efficiency, provide opportunities for extracurricular activities and align with international practices. However, experts warn of possible negative impacts such as difficulty in completing the syllabus, adverse effects in rural schools, increased risk of digital misuse among children, and higher additional costs for extracurricular activities in private schools.
Globally, countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Finland and Japan follow Saturday–Sunday weekends in schools. The US focuses on project-based learning, the UK emphasizes reduced homework and practical education, Finland is considered one of the world’s best education systems, and Japan focuses on research and club-based activities. Therefore, experts suggest that for Nepal to successfully implement a two-day weekend, it must restructure its curriculum, manage learning hours effectively, improve homework systems, expand digital education and strengthen extracurricular activities.
-1779842101.webp)
