‘A chance to take a break’: McEntee defends length of school summer holidays

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The Education Minister has defended the length of schools’ summer holidays, saying they offer people a chance to “take a break”.

Helen McEntee acknowledged that it was a challenge for parents in need of childcare, and any decision on changing the length of the school year would require a considered approach.

There has been some commentary in recent weeks that the length of the school holidays – three months for secondary schools and two months for primary – are out of date, as Ireland has some of the longest school breaks in Europe.

Visiting a Clondalkin primary school on Thursday, where children were taking part in a summer programme for two weeks, Ms McEntee said: “I’m here in a school where you have principals, teachers, SNAs, who are working and supporting children throughout the summer.

“We’ve always had a particular time period for school holidays.

“What we find, particularly for our secondary schools, is that they’re actually coming back earlier now, in August, so the Leaving Cert results will be out from the 22nd, some students are actually in that week and, in fact, the following week is when a lot of schools are coming back.

“Our teachers work hard, our schools are very active throughout the year. I think the time that’s taken throughout the summer gives everybody a chance to take a break.”

The children at St Mary’s Junior National School learn literacy and numerical skills, and how to bake, as part of the summer programme, which gives educational support to children, including those with special educational needs.

They can also paint in the school’s outdoor wooden classroom, called the sun room, which was funded by the Arts Council.

Ms McEntee said 1,800 schools are taking part in the summer programme this year, including 80 special schools, a 16% increase on last year.

Asked if the activity of the summer programme suggested the summer break was too long, she said the programme initially began “with a particular emphasis on special education”.

“For children with additional needs, to have that structure and to have that focus, is really, really important.

“And I think there was an acknowledgement that to have that extra support throughout the summer is something that would be hugely beneficial, not just for the students, but also for the parents.

“It’s obviously since expanded, it’s not just a focus on special schools or additional needs, it’s a focus on our DEIS schools, making sure that where children – and it’s not all children that access the programme – but if there is that need there to have that extra support, that structure throughout the summer, it’s there.

“It’s also fun.

“I do acknowledge, I have to say, the challenges for parents when it comes to childcare, when it comes to the fact that in many households you have both parents working now full time, so the summer does pose challenges.

“But you know, I think any changes to summer breaks, any changes to holidays, that’s something that would always have to be considered in engagement and consultation with schools, with teachers, with parents, with families overall.”

Ms McEntee also announced a National Convention on Education, to inform a long-term strategy for primary and secondary education in Ireland.

Professor Anne Looney, who will chair the convention, said in a statement she was looking forward to being involved in ensuring “we give our learners and those who work with them the best opportunities to flourish and succeed”.