Rants & Raves: What is the point of the high school calendar at this time of year?

Students now go to class to watch movies, play games and finish school early. Photo / Thinkstock

Tell us what you love about life in New Zealand — and what needs to change. Email rantandrave@nzherald.co.nz

Rant
What is the point of the high school calendar at this time of year? For Years 9 & 10, "final" exams were completed three weeks ago. Students now go to class to watch movies, play games and finish school early. Any classroom activities have no bearing on their final grades. Why can't final exams be based on the full year and be held at the end of term?
Marty

Rave
Sincere thanks to the lady who rescued the fitted sheet that had blown off my line and put it inside a neighbour's locked gate. I very much appreciate you stopping your car and doing this in Churchill Rd, Rothesay Bay. I would like to thank you in person.
Patricia

Rant
Good on Penny Bright for standing up to council and their job-protecting, wasteful-spending ways. Who else will make council accountable for their spending and many other shortcomings? Their books should be open to the people who pay them. The Government won't do anything either, so is it time for a general rates revolt?
Briar Ross

Rave
Thanks, Henry of NZ Post, for helping me while I waited for the ambulance to arrive after I severely cut my leg on my car door. Without your helpful assistance things would have been much worse.
Ann

Rant
Why don't people get it that the City Rail Link is not about those who live in the central city? It creates a regional rail network to get passengers quickly through, out and beyond the city. The rail network is otherwise slow and well below potential with a dead-end terminus at Britomart and a bottleneck at Newmarket. How come Switzerland, with the Gotthard Base Tunnel, can go 57km under the Alps and we struggle with 3.5km? Wish the Government would get off its bum and work with Auckland Council for ratepayers.
Andrew

Rave
Best wishes to the woman who, with the help of her loyal dog, fought off a male attacker in Countdown Hamilton on Wednesday night. A dogbite and a kick to the groin have instantly made this offender realise his actions had consequences. A far better lesson learned than facing a judge whose idea of justice would probably be a discharge without conviction or a paltry fine.
Fiona