Teachers and students welcome holidays after challenging year

THOUSANDS of Northern Territory kids have run out of their school gates looking forward to six weeks of holidays

Woodroffe Primary School students. Jade Knight, Josh Harrington, Reinhart, Bianca Meyer and Haley Davidson celebrate the end of school. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

THOUSANDS of kids have run out of their school gates looking forward to six weeks of holidays.

Teachers will be breathing a sigh of relief after a big year challenged by COVID-19.

Education Minister Lauren Moss thanked the efforts of teachers, parents and students for their dedication over the year.

“That additional stress on teachers on the school system of making sure that we can maintain just a really solid educational experience for our kids when there’s so much going on in the Northern Territory and across the world has just really been second to none and I think they absolutely deserve all of our thanks and a really good Christmas break,” she said on Thursday.

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She said COVID-19 measures in place at the moment would likely continue next year.

“We will need to continue to be vigilant until such time as we receive the clinical advice that we don’t need to be, so we do need to be prepared to live with this for some time,” she said.

To help parents keep the kids entertained a summer holiday program for regions across the NT is available.

Kids will be able to test out their skills in a three on three basketball competition or relax at the pool in what is a jam packed program.

Woodroffe Primary School students Haley Davidson and Joshua Harrington are both looking forward to the holidays and participating in the various youth programs.

“I’m looking forward to the YMCA Christmas party it seems like it might be pretty fun,” Joshua said.

To find out more head to youth.nt.gov.au.

Follow @JudithAisthorpe