A proposal by Italy’s controversial Education Minister, Mariastella Gelmini, to extend the school summer holiday till 29th September has been greeted with outrage by politicians of other parties.
School year dates are set by regional authorities in Italy but most schools close for the summer at the end of May or in early June and pupils return to school on or around the 14th September. As in most of the EU, Italian schools break for a fortnight at Christmas and a week or a fortnight at Easter. There are no half term breaks but there are various one or two-day Catholic holidays and some local holidays such as local saints’ days.
To be fair to the teachers, it is important to say that they do not have as long a summer break as it seems, for they spend most of June and half of July in meetings or doing examination work and are required to be at school for meetings from the beginning of September.
Minister Gelmini says that her proposal would give families more choice in organising their annual holidays and help tourism. However, Fabio Evangelisti, Parliamentary Deputy Leader of the IdV [Italy of Values] Party, has compared the Minister to Marie Antoinette, saying that the proposal is irresponsible at a time when many schools risk not opening at all because of government cuts.
Would you like a three and a half month school holiday for your children?
