Concern is often expressed about the management of the school holidays, mostly how they are distributed throughout the academic year. What is accepted by one set of people, that is a whole long summer period, may appear illogical to another group, which foster for multiple short vacations.
In this connection, Italian and French educational systems embody such differing viewpoints. A traditional three-months period during the hot season, in fact, is given to students in Italy as a summer gap – a procedure so ingrained that would be impossible to be changed. Learners, moreover, take advantage of this such time to explore new activities and hobbies, that they did not until lessons were in active. Furthermore, alongside numerous bank holidays, this choice hot-heartedly reflects the employment habits of Italian workers and companies to go holidays in August, which is why parents and children are going to have time to spend together.
The counterpart of the debate, our beyond-the-Alps neighbour, has provided the soundest basis for its school system, as they are asserting. Every two months, youngsters are given a full week of vacation, so that, during the year, they receive the equivalent of two months or something more. What is the prerogative of the educational cabinet is that students relax their mind, preventing the burnout, and improving results, as suggested by anthropological research on the field. In fact, it might seem that an alternance in studying and holidays helps pupils to reach better results.
As far as I am concerned, the over-arching thought is that there is not an absolute management, that can be considered more efficient than the others. Nevertheless, the French model, inspiring in its values and well-working in the country, conversely, would not be applicable in Italy for the above-mentioned reasons. Should the entire system change to incorporate the latter.