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Tue 05 May 2004Are teachers' holidays too long?In the Republic, second-level teachers teach for 33 weeks a year. In England it's 38 weeks. In Germany it's 40. So why do our teachers need such long holidays?, writes John DownesIt is an oft-repeated claim that the best thing about teaching is the length of the holidays. For those working nine-to-five, and with a measly four weeks' leave a year, it can be hard not to look with considerable envy at the two- to three-month paid summer holiday that teachers get. Add to this the fact that teachers get three weeks off at Christmas, another two at Easter, as well as mid-term breaks, and they would seem, on paper at least, to have it easy.