Longer July/August vacation from 2025, says Education Ministry

Students and teachers will enjoy a longer July/August vacation starting in the 2025/2026 academic year, following Cabinet’s approval of the Ministry of Education’s recommendation to revise the school year calendar.

The Ministry confirmed the new structure of the academic year in an official statement today.

“From 2025, the July/August break will be extended from seven to eight weeks, while maintaining the full 39 weeks of instructional time across three terms,” the Ministry explained.

According to the statement, Term I will run for 14 weeks from September 8 to December 12, 2025; Term II will run for 12 weeks from January 5 to March 27, 2026; and Term III will run for 13 weeks from April 13 to July 10, 2026.

The Ministry notes that the change will make for a better term balance, that is a more balanced distribution of weeks across the three terms (14-12-13), compared to the previous 15-12-12 arrangement.

It also points out that there is more time for efficient infrastructure works.

“The extended vacation provides an uninterrupted eight-week period for repairs and upgrades at 278 educational facilities across Trinidad,” the Ministry said, “including ECCE Centres, Primary and Secondary Schools, under the Vacation Repair Programme.

The Education Ministry also observed that the additional time allows it “to fill teacher and administrative vacancies before the start of the new term.”