The education ministry announced today that holidays would begin on Dec 10, 2021 and end on Dec 31, 2021 for schools in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Schools in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya meanwhile will be on break from Dec 11, 2021 to Dec 31, 2021.

The year-end school holidays for this year are scheduled to begin on Dec 18 and end on Jan 20, 2021.

Education Minister Radzi Jidin told the Dewan Rakyat earlier this month that the shorter break was to help students catch up on their lessons.

He said students might lose motivation and lag behind the following academic year if they are given less time to cope with their classes during the current school year.

He said this after announcing that schools would begin the new term on Jan 20 next year instead of the usual first week of the month.