The coming school year is to be five days shorter due to Government’s agreement with trade unions requiring public officers to take unpaid days off.The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed with the Bermuda Trade Union Congress last month.Public sector workers and Government agreed to a two-year package with an overall 4.6 percent pay cut by taking a day off each month.However, Education Minister Nalton Brangman said yesterday that it wouldn’t be possible for schools to impose “rolling furlough days” on staff — an arrangement wherein schools would stay open, and principals manage each individual’s furlough days over the year.“This would be particularly difficult in light of ongoing concern about disruption to teaching and learning, and the financial cost of providing coverage for absence related to professional development, illness and maternity leave,” Sen Brangman said.As a result, it was decided that the academic year would shorten by five days.Since school commences halfway through the fiscal year, teachers will be taking five days off, rather than the 12 faced by other public officers.“While educators and Ministry officials are concerned about the implications of this initiative, there is no other way to meet the terms of the MOU,” Sen Brangman said.Christmas break is to be extended and the academic year will end one day earlier.Christmas holidays will start a day earlier, on December 19.The Administrative Day due for February 19 will be moved to January 7, meaning students will return to school one day later.“Monday, February 17 to Wednesday, February 19 will now be furlough days, as opposed to professional development and an administrative day,” Senator Brangman added. “Since school was already out that week for students, these three days will have no impact on teaching and learning.”School will also end a day earlier in June, Sen Brangman added, with students getting June 25 as their final day.Teachers will finish on June 27, making June 30 a furlough day.The switch will require a legislative amendment, to be tabled next month in the House of Assembly.