Advertisement

Should Italy cut its school summer break?

Author thumbnail
Should Italy cut its school summer break?
Children in Italy have around three months off school each summer. Holiday photo: Shutterstock

Italy’s labour minister on Monday ignited debate by suggesting pupils’ three-month summer break was too long. As The Local found out from our readers and the streets of Rome, the government’s view is yet to gain unanimous support.

Advertisement

Minister Giuliano Poletti said a month-long holiday was fine for pupils, while also suggesting students spend more time working or in training over the summer.

His comments on work experience were backed by Italy’s education minister, Stefania Giannini, while also sparking a debate on the length of school holidays.

READ MORE: Italy's three-month hols too long: minister

By standards in other European countries, Italy’s school holidays are somewhat excessive. Across the border in France pupils are given eight weeks outside the classroom, while in Germany there are around six weeks of summer holidays.

As The Local found out, there is some support for cuts to the length of Italy’s school break.

“Three months is too long, two months is enough,” said a refreshments seller by Rome’s Trevi Fountain.

Nearby, an Italian woman told The Local that cutting holidays in order to get older pupils into work was a good idea. But the long summer break should remain for younger children, she said.

Our readers agreed there should be greater focus on pupils’ future prospects during the summer months. “Work experience would be good for the older ones, if there is any work available,” Donatella Bellini wrote on The Local Italy's Facebook page.

Joining the debate, Francesca Santello Calzini said “one month of work experience would be ideal!”

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.0"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));

How long should Italy's school holidays be?

Posted by The Local Italy on Tuesday, 24 March 2015

But notwithstanding the difficulty in finding paid employment - Italy has a youth jobless rate of 41.2 percent - students may well struggle to find anywhere open to take them on.

“They should get work experience during the summer, but how since beginning the second half of July and, certainly, in August, almost all businesses close down?” wrote Antonia Protano.

Italy’s soaring summer temperatures can also make it difficult to stay in the classroom, Riccardo Spanu pointed out.

Whether for practical reasons or other concerns, in an Ansa poll the majority of voters said they disagreed with Poletti’s standpoint that school holidays are too long. With over 2,500 votes, 38 percent agreed with the minister.

<a href="https://epoll.me/v/ACeHOABTHxI" _cke_saved_href="https://epoll.me/v/ACeHOABTHxI">'Tre mesi di vacanze a scuola sono troppi' secondo il ministro Poletti. Sei d'accordo?</a> created by <a href="https://epoll.me" _cke_saved_href="https://epoll.me">ePoll</a>

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also