Climate change undermines the options for modifying the school calendar

PalmThe school year ends around June 20th and resumes the second week of September. Every year, when classroom temperatures exceed 30°C and most schools lack air conditioning, the same controversy resurfaces: while some families and experts advocate limiting summer vacation to July and August, the realities of school climates force the question of whether it's advisable for students to spend more days in class in June and begin the new school year. It's a debate that combines pedagogy, well-being, the state of school infrastructure, and work-life balance.

The conditions in schools dictate any decision. Many spaces become uninhabitable by the beginning of June. The lack of shade and green areas in the playgrounds exacerbates the situation. "The biggest obstacle is the infrastructure," says Jaume Bonet, director of IES Cap de Llevant and president of the Association of Secondary School Directors of Menorca (Adesme). "We suffer, not on June 15th, but by June 1st it's already uninhabitable, and September is extremely difficult. Heat waves are becoming more and more frequent, and it's unbearable to have hundreds of students and teachers sharing the same space," he laments. The exterior is no exception. "There should be green areas in the playgrounds, but few schools have them. We have asphalt and benches in the sun," he says. Without air conditioning, any calendar changes that affect the summer seem unfeasible. Miquel Àngel Guerrero, director of the technical office of the Mallorca Federation of Families (FAPA Mallorca), points out that the Ministry's pilot program only reaches a few schools, while hundreds remain on the waiting list. For him, the essential question is what is offered to children outside of school hours. And that's why he criticizes the fact that the Work-Life Balance Law was passed without taking families into account: "We're still waiting to see any measures."

Schools on fire

Regarding calendar modifications, international experiences offer possible alternatives. In Provence, summer vacation lasts eight weeks, followed by two weeks in February and two in spring, explains Elena Sintes, project manager at the Bofill Foundation. "While schools don't have air conditioning, they do have adapted systems. Therefore, June and September are unbearable," she continues. "There will be more and more months with extreme heat. If we apply the logic of not holding classes during the hottest months, we won't have six months of the year," the expert argues. She considers it "incomprehensible" that in Spain, schools are the only public buildings that lack adequate climate control systems. Social difficulties also weigh heavily when considering calendar modifications. Kiko López, president of the Education sector of the Union of Cooperatives (UCTAIB), emphasizes the situation of many families: "Although there's talk of work-life balance, the problem is the social system. Schools are obligated to respond to a multitude of social needs, and we accept that responsibility, but the organization and social structure are not. There are no gestures of support for work-life balance; they have a complicated life. Modifying the school calendar wouldn't help everyone," he points out.

Even so, López is in favor of bringing forward the start of the school year to early September to align work and school schedules. The earlier start could be offset by extra days off at other times during the year, and he believes that there are periods, such as October and November, when teacher and student burnout is high, and recovering an extra week of rest would help.

The need for short, regular holiday breaks is also a factor. Xisca Prats, from the Alternativa union, advocates for a four- or five-day break every five or six weeks. She also agrees with the other people consulted that extending the school year until the end of June is impossible. When the heat arrives, she points out, the ceiling fans in some schools "aren't nearly enough."

At school, they perceive the pedagogical impact of the long holidays. Maribel Domínguez, secretary of the Association of Infant and Primary School Principals of Ibiza and Formentera, and principal of CEIP Can Coix, explains that there is an adjustment period every year: "In 4th grade, at the beginning of the school year, they didn't remember how to multiply. Now they do." Sintas points out that the extended summer holidays impact children's math and reading skills, which suffer.

Beyond going to school, what could be offered to children and families during the summer months? Bonet focuses on the social responsibility of the Administration. She believes there is still "a long way to go" in offering leisure alternatives outside of the school year. "Can society offer options so that a child can be cared for in a fun way?" The headteacher supports more schools remaining open during the summer, but not for classes; rather, for complementary and more relaxed activities. However, he acknowledges that school buildings, and specifically his school, are uninhabitable during the hottest part of the year. Without adapted infrastructure and adequate climate control systems, any change to the school calendar remains unfeasible. Teachers, families, and experts agree that it is necessary to find solutions that allow for a balance between safety, well-being, and learning, without compromising anyone's health or performance. The debate about the calendar remains open and, for the moment, without any solutions in sight. The only ones who seem to have a clear opinion, according to ARA Baleares, are the students: if it were up to them, the school year would end even earlier. "The more vacation, the better, right? In June, there are many classrooms where the sun beats down directly, and it's unbearable," admits a 10th-grade student at IES Joan Alcover.