This would be necessary because the lengthy summer break places too great a burden on families and sending kids off to summer camps is also stressing financially in the absence of grandparents, she said.

The lengthening of the curricular year and cutting back holidays is on the agenda across the world due to the fact that the gap between poorer and better-off children in knowledge and skills further grows during the summer break, which in Hungary is especially long compared to international standards.

Extending the school year was raised recently by Fidesz politician and former Minister of Education Zoltán Pokorni, who also argued in favour of introducing a 9-year primary school system instead of the current 8-year primary education and free summer camps accessible to all children.

Source: hungarytoday.hu

Republished with permission