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Palma.—Children in Infant and Primary schools in the Balearics, Aragon and Catalonia spend a total of 176 days in class a year, the General Workers Union teaching sector (FETE) claimed yesterday, the third longest terms in the country.

Those regions with the longest school terms of 179 days per year in class are the Canary Islands, Castilla-y-Leon and Madrid with 179 days, whilst children in Andalucia can expect 178 days. The minimum allowed by law is 175 days in school. So far as the start of the new term is concerned, dates vary from the 6th to 14th September for Primary schools whilst for secondary schools and pre-university courses, differences are marked by the various years of study, so third year students could start on different days from fourth year students. The end of the academic year falls between 20th and 25th June for Primary schools but could extend to 26th in the case of the pre-university course. The teaching section of the UGT said that the Christmas holiday period is very much the same for schools right across Spain, starting between 22nd and 24th December and ending between 7th and 8th January.

There is more variation so far as the Easter break is concerned. The start and end run from 25th March to 8th April. Cuts in the Education system, unions claim, have meant that there will be more pupils in each class and teachers will need to work more hours.