At some point in the history of education, educators made efforts to impose a long summer vacation that could extend to four months in some countries. It then became a mandatory tradition. And like any tradition, it was never discussed by anyone before.
Today's educators are divided over its benefits, or even on the feasibility of its continuation. And we have no prior studies from sociologists, mental health scientists, or even educators to weigh any options. Thus, the issue remains controversial. In this case, judgment is left to logic, not science!
(1)
The Aristocracy of Summer Vacation!
The summer vacation is associated with family life and societies. In affluent societies "abundance," vacation is an opportunity for tourism and luxury, while in scarce societies, or "shortages," it presents an opportunity for children to work and help their families financially.
In Europe, city dwellers move their children away from the heat; looking for a suitable place to shield them from the harsh heat, similarly in the winter they seek a warm place, thus, vacationing is an aristocratic behavior!
(2)
The Harvest Vacation!
It is said: Since the Ottoman rule, the school vacation was given to allow children to help with their parents' agricultural work; thus linked
to spring and summer, which are important agricultural seasons, could be utilized in farming, plowing, guarding the threshing floor, marketing tomatoes, watermelons, and other food products! And this means that the vacation is not beneficial for students, and on the contrary
it perpetuates aristocracy: peasant children work, and affluent children play!
The harvest and farming activities ended, but the vacation remained:
In winter, it is an escape from the cold of school. And in summer, an escape from the school's heat! The family is better suited to look after their children: in both cold and heat!
(3)
Is the Vacation Still Necessary?
All the justifications for the vacation have ended, as we are not agriculturists anymore, and schools are no longer cold and uninviting in winter, nor excessively hot in summer. And this means that geographical factors no longer play a decisive role in imposing vacations!
So; why the vacation??
Students are burdened during the academic period!
And like any activity and effort, they need to rest! And this is a human right! But is there any benefit in three months of feeling rested?
(4)
The Vacation: A Modern View!
Logic and science also say: Learning is a continuous process; and this means a vacation extending for months will disrupt the learning process, and this requires psychological rehabilitation of students before they start the school system at the beginning of each year!
(5)
Investing the Vacation!
The vacation can be utilized by programming free "curricular" activities, promoting continuous learning in areas chosen by students, and in this, there is much to say!
It is possible to reduce the number of school years, cutting the twelve years down to ten! Thus, freeing students from years that can be shortened without losses. In all cases:
The vacation should not remain a stage of boredom, nor a phase easily exploited by extremists.
And the new ideas about the three-day vacation facilitate the cancellation of the winter and summer vacations.
The topic needs an educational vision, we hope that it is available to all educators in university, official, or unofficial positions!!
Understood?
