COLLEGE students' holidays will fall more closely into line with the holidays of those in lower grades, it was decided yesterday.
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The agreement was reached after a meeting between one of Education Minister Nick McKim's advisers Terry McCarthy, Education Department secretary Colin Pettit and Australian Education Union state president Terry Polglase.
The result means a proposed union member college teacher ballot will be cancelled.
Under the original term dates set by the state government, college students were set to miss out on a week of school leading up to exam preparation in term 4.
This had been uncovered only in the past week or so.
Under the new dates set by Mr McKim, college teachers will start work on Tuesday, January 29, and students the following week on Tuesday, February 5.
College teachers will finish the year on December 13, in line with the end of exams.
It was also decided at the meeting that the term dates would be trialled for one year and a working party established immediately to work through any issues that come up and take into account the findings of a union survey.
Mr Polglase described it as a win-win situation for everyone.
``This is what the teachers wanted, they just wanted to move on with this,'' Mr Polglase said.
2013 COLLEGE DATES
TERM 1
Start: Tuesday, January 29 - teachers start; Tuesday, February 5 - students start. Easter: Friday, March 29 to Tuesday, April 2. End: Friday, April 19.
TERM 2
Start: Monday, May 6. End: Friday, July 5.
TERM 3
Start: Monday, July 22. End: Friday, September 27.
TERM 4
Start: Monday, October 14. End: Thursday, December 13 - teachers finish, students finish at end of exams.