Regional differences should shape school holidays, expert suggests

ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s school holiday calendar should be revised to reflect the country’s regional diversities, an education expert has said, urging a more flexible national calendar.

“In a country like Türkiye, with high geographic, climatic and socioeconomic diversity, more flexible and regionally tailored holiday schedules are suggested. These suggestions take into account local climate conditions, economic activity and cultural dynamics,” explained Associate Professor Gülşah Batdal Karaduman from Istanbul University’s Faculty of Education.

Within this scope, in southern regions where summer heat arrives early, the school year could end sooner, while in cooler northern regions, a longer winter break could be introduced, according to Karaduman.

Schools in Türkiye, in addition to the three-month summer break, also observe one-week vacations in the fall and spring terms, as well as a 15-day hiatus for winter break.

Concerns over students having too many breaks remain common, as unplanned closures caused by weather events such as snowstorms or natural disasters like earthquakes also impact instructional time throughout the year.

Despite interruptions, Türkiye’s school year is comparable to international standards.

According to 2020 data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Türkiye’s academic year consists of 180 days, compared to 190 in Finland and 172 in France. The OECD average is around 184 days.