The government’s experiment with an extended school day remains in its early stages, with only a few schools participating as authorities assess its effectiveness before a possible nationwide rollout.
During the Post-Cabinet press briefing, Chief of Staff Lionel Hurst confirmed that the initiative is still being tested, with no major changes or expansions at this time.
“I think there were only three schools that they were going to begin the experiment with—so Novel Richards was one, I believe Princess Margaret was another, and there was a third, it may have been All Saints, but don’t quote me,” Hurst stated.
The program, first introduced in response to concerns over youth engagement and crime prevention, is designed to provide students with structured after-school activities, particularly in sports and fitness.
“The ultimate object is to get students to participate in athletics, so that after you’ve spent more than five hours in a classroom, you ought to get out onto the field to run, jump, and so on,” Hurst explained.
Health concerns, including childhood obesity and high blood pressure, were also cited as key reasons for implementing the extended school hours, with officials hopeful that increasing physical activity will provide long-term benefits.
While the program has not yet been expanded beyond the initial test schools, the government is monitoring results before deciding whether to implement it on a broader scale.
