The week-long March holidays began this week but from my interactions with students, I realised that many of them are being called back to school.

School holidays are meant to be an opportunity for students to take a break, recharge and do things that they enjoy before another hectic term commences.

Many students seem to have compulsory supplementary lessons and practices for their co-curricular activities, with some even spending all five days of break in school. This defeats the purpose of school holidays.

Shouldn't lessons and co-curricular activities be carried out during the school term?

If the spillover is due to a lack of time for such lessons or activities during term time, then the Ministry of Education ought to review the curriculum.

Last year, it was reported that Singaporean students are facing a great amount of stress in school (S'pore students suffer from high levels of anxiety: Study; Aug 20, 2017). One way to release the pressure in our education system is to provide sufficient rest for students to energise themselves.

Holidays are not only beneficial to students.

Teachers also need the time off to re-energise themselves for the new term.

This unhealthy practice has been going on since my student days more than a decade ago and nothing appears to have changed.

It really is time MOE looked into this matter and ensure students can enjoy their well-deserved holidays.

Sean Lim Wei Xin