Having a longer school day could benefit children and parents alike, a parenting expert has suggested.
It comes as over a dozen schools in Wales have signed up for one hour extra class time per day.
Students there will receive additional traditional lessons as well as non-academic classes, such as book club, DJ classes and art.
It's aimed at boosting “academic progress and cultural capital” following the extended school closures during the pandemic.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Laura Erskine - founder of consultancy firm The Parenting Experts - said she’d “definitely” like to see longer school days here as well.
However, she said it should be focused on non-academic activities.
She said: “It’s about extending the school day with additional activities that are not academic-related.”
She would instead like to see the Department of Education funding more classes in areas such as cooking, sporting activity, and life skills - things that could ultimately "enrich" their lives.
She also noted: “It’s something that would certainly help with the current challenge of working parents trying to adopt the new hybrid model of working remotely… and allow a greater work-life balance in that respect.
“At the moment, we have parents who are working, then leaving around 1pm to go and collect junior & senior infants, then hanging around for a further hour to collect the older children.
“Then they’re going home, doing snacks and homework, ferrying them to and from after-school activities… then dinner.
“In terms of getting a full-working day done, parents who are working on this model need to log on again at 9pm and continue working.”
She also believes children would be "well able" for a longer school day, with many already going to childminders or taking part in after-school activities.
'Unrealistic'
Brian Mooney - a guidance counsellor, Irish Times columnist and editor of Education Matters Yearbook - believes the prospect of a formalised longer school day in Ireland is 'utterly unrealistic'.
However, he suggested there's already been an "organic" move towards more after-school activities.
He observed: “School buildings have been more and more utilised in recent years by all sorts of activities. The academic day ends, and then you have clubs coming in.
“If you go past the school at any hour of the day or night, you’ll probably find most schools are [being used].”
He believes the real issue with a more standardised model would be around staffing.
He suggested teacher unions would be very unlikely to sign off on any change that would have their members working beyond the standard, contracted school hours.
Ms Erskine noted she's not suggesting the extra hours would be staffed by teachers, but rather by people skilled in particular areas such as cooking or sports.
However, she acknowledged that would require extra State funding to actually implement.
