The Grenada government says schools will re-open on Monday saying it had take note of a public notice issued by the Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT) concerning the commencement of the 2026-2027 academic year.
In a statement, the ministry said that the GUT communication may create uncertainty among parents, students, teachers, and the wider public, particularly as the official reopening date has already been communicated. ‘For the avoidance of doubt, schools will reopen for students on Monday, 31 August 2026. This remains the official reopening date communicated by the Ministry of Education,’ the ministry said, adding that ‘this decision was taken after careful consideration of the relevant provisions of the Education Act, the prescribed vacation periods, the school calendar, and the public interest, including the importance of maximising instructional contact time for students.
But the GUT contends that the Education Act defines the academic year as running from September 1 to August 31, and in a public notice said that the 2026-2027 academic year therefore begins on Tuesday, urging the members of the public to be guided accordingly.
‘The academic year, there is a fixed date. So the academic year starts from September 1st every year. The academic year starts September 1st every year and it ends on August 31st, and so this pronouncement by the Minister of Education and the Ministry of Education to start school the new academic year on August 31st is really and truly starting school on the very last day of the previous or old academic year,’ said GUT President, Jude Bartholomew.
‘So what the Minister has done really and truly is to break the law,’ he told a news conference, adding that the law is ‘very very clear and sets out the standards and the law is very clear as when the academic year begins and when it ends.
‘Section 39 of the Act gives some latitude, yes, to the Minister for Education as it relates to vacation…yes, he has some latitude there because for the vacation is not really and truly latitude what is not spelt out in the Act, in the Education Act and in law.
‘So he has some little latitude there in case something happened, in case there is an emergency, in case there is a storm, in case there is a hurricane, in the effect of something like COVID and yes, he can wiggle room around the vacation time but he cannot interfere, he cannot interfere or touch the academic year which is stated in law and clearly stated in the Education Act which is from the 4th of September to the 31st of August every year,’ Bartholomew said.
He said that the situation does not only apply to Grenada, adding ‘so we want parents to know that we’re not fighting, teachers are not fighting for extended vacation and such and that teachers don’t want to return to work and everything like that
‘So that is really, really and truly further from the truth. We want to make it very clear this morning to our parents and to the students and the citizens of Grenada, Carriacou and petite Martinique that it is unquestionable, no doubt in your mind, that teachers love your children and teachers love the nation’s children.’
In its statement, the ministry said it is mindful of the definition of ‘academic year’ contained in the Education Act, adding ‘importantly, the interpretation provisions of the act are expressly qualified by the words, ‘unless the context otherwise requires.’
‘The ministry therefore considers that the provisions of the act must be read together and in their proper context, including those relating to school terms, vacation periods, and the administration of the education system. The statutory definition of the academic year should not, by itself, be construed as determining the date on which schools may officially reopen following the prescribed vacation period.’
The government said that it respects the right of the GUT ‘to express its views and advocate on behalf of its membership.
‘However, such advocacy must not be confused with the authority to determine or announce the official commencement of school. That authority rests with the Ministry of Education and the minister responsible for education, acting within the powers provided by law. The ministry is responsible for the administration of the public education system and for the official determination and communication of the school calendar and reopening dates.’
The ministry said that it is urging parents, students, teachers, and members of the public ‘ to be guided by official communications’ and is looking ‘forward to the cooperation of all stakeholders as we work together to ensure an orderly reopening of schools and maintain a continued focus on the education and well-being of the nation’s children’.