Saudi Gazette On Saturday, about five million students resumed schools after the 11-day Haj holidays. However, most classrooms from all levels had a handful of absences on the first two days of school. Students and teachers are complaining that after embarking on the exhausting Haj journey, they needed more time to rest and regain their strength. The final ritual for pilgrims was throwing the pebbles at the jamarat, and they started returning to their homes Tuesday. Some even returned as late as Wednesday. Therefore, only two days were insufficient to recuperate from the physical exertion and for those who caught the Haj flu to completely recover. “I had been hoping that the opening of schools would be postponed for one more week because teachers, administrators, and students need more rest after performing Haj,” said high school teacher Ahmad Jaradi Al-Ghabaishi. Many students agree with this teacher's opinion. “Eleven days are not enough for the Haj break. A large number of students from my school were among the boy scouts who helped pilgrims during the Haj, and many others performed the Haj ritual themselves. They deserve more time to rest. In the past two years the Haj break was longer, consecutively 14 days and 20 days long,” said high school student, Khaled Abdul Rahman. But schools routine are back. Some schools in the Assir region have reserved two lesson periods to celebrate Eid with students and distribute sweets. __
