Shortening school holidays in France: What are the pros and cons?

With classrooms across France winding down before they break up on July 7 or July 8, President Emmanuel Macron says he wants to spark a debate over whether school summer holidays should be shortened.

Here we examine the arguments for and against changing the eight-week summer break.

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The arguments for shortening schools’ summer break

One of the big arguments Mr Macron gave for reducing the school summer holidays was reducing inequalities between children from different backgrounds.

He noted that while children from well-off families are sent to “language camps” and complete “holiday worksheets”, children from less well-off families are left in areas with “little sporting infrastructure, in families which are already facing problems”.

France’s president also said the long holidays see children forget what they learn at school.

France’s education ministry said as much last April, noting in primary schools performance gaps decrease over the school year, before increasing again over the summer holiday.

Mr Macron spoke in favour of cutting the summer holidays and also cutting the length of the school day to compensate, saying the long days “exhaust” French schoolchildren.

He compared France to Germany where children do sport in the afternoons, and have time to do so as their schooling is “more spread out over the year”.

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The arguments against shortening schools’ summer break

However, the idea of cutting the long summer holidays is far from universally popular.

Teachers cite two main reasons for leaving school holidays as they are: climate and personal well-being.

They say that in certain parts of France in July and August, temperatures are extremely high and that a significant number of schools simply do not have the infrastructure needed to welcome children in good conditions.

They also note that teachers have adapted to how the school year works in France and need the break to relax and also to work and prepare for the upcoming school year.

There are also arguments against the idea that long holidays increase social inequalities. Éric Charbonnier, an analyst at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), noted it is not holidays that are the problem. He said it is economic and cultural inequalities that mean children do not have the same opportunities that are the real issue.

Mr Charbonnier also noted that quantity does not mean quality, saying the debate should focus more on “the resources set aside to support students in an individual way”. He is supported by figures from international schooling tests which show that although French schoolchildren spend above average amounts of time in school, they are below average when it comes to language comprehension.

Needless to state, the tourism industry is also against the idea, as it would cut into their profits.

The set rhythm of ‘seven weeks at school, two weeks off,” which is meant to give children time to relax and be effective at school, is already influenced by the tourism industry with the February winter holidays planned in such a way as to maximise winter sport tourism.

Given how essential July and August are for the industry, Guislaine David, representative of the teachers’ union SNUipp-FSU said the summer holidays will “never be questioned”.

Regardless of how the debate on school summer holidays pans out, Mr Macron made it very clear that the long summer break was not going to change in 2024. Given holiday dates are set three years ahead of time, there is plenty of time for the authorities to decide if anything needs to change.

Your view

What do you think? How would you like France’s school holidays changed? Or perhaps you believe it would do more harm than good?

Let us know via news@connexionfrance.com

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