British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has rejected calls to allow children to miss school on Monday following England's late-night World Cup match against Mexico, as reported by The Guardian.
The debate emerged after England qualified for the next round by defeating the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the UK kickoff time set at 1 a.
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England head coach Thomas Tuchel publicly urged parents to keep children home to watch the match, which could last until 3 a.
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"Write an excuse for school and let them watch football. They have so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years.
Let them watch, there will be a big, big match in four days and we need the support of everyone and especially of the children," Tuchel said.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister quickly countered, emphasizing the government's stance on classroom attendance despite the high-stakes fixture at the Azteca Stadium.
"It is up to parents to make their own decisions.
We want everyone to enjoy the game but children should be at school on Monday," the spokesperson said.
The official noted that Starmer faced the same scheduling dilemma as other citizens, referencing comments by Education Minister Jacqui Smith about preparation for the workday.
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"The education minister Jacqui Smith put it very well.
She is having a disco nap on Sunday and then back at work next day … the prime minister is facing the same dilemma as everyone else on whether to stay up," the spokesperson added.
