In many countries, primary and secondary schools close for two months or more in the summer holidays. What is the value of long school holidays? What are the arguments in favour of shorter school holidays?

It is common practice for primary and secondary schools in many parts of the world to arrange a summer holiday for a period of at least two months. 1DespiteDepite the benefits to the well-being of both students and teachers through encouraging 2relaxationrelaxing and comprehensive personal development, there are also voices questioning the potential negative effects on parents and children themselves, and advocating for a shorter school holiday.

Long school holidays bring benefits in many aspects. First, two months of homework-free life gives both students and teachers an appropriate chance to 3relaxrelax themselves. Second, considering the potentially 4harmfulhramful heat and sunshine in summer that may pose a threat to children's vulnerable skin, sparing them the need to come to school everyday does prevent many health issues that may otherwise happen. More importantly, by means of a long holiday, students are in fact given full access to hobbies and activities that they 5do notdon't have enough time to enjoy during school days, thereby providing them an opportunity to have a free discovery of the world and fully develop their skills and interests. For example, a child may pay a visit to villages in the mountain and 6explore natureexplore the nature with his own eyes, or he can learn to play 7aan musical instrument to develop his 8artisticart talents.

Meanwhile, arguments in favor of shorter school holidays hold that despite those benefits, a long holiday 9puts a massive burdenputs massive burden on parents and can cause a decline in children's behaviours and academic performance. 10Although kids are allowed to stay away from school, their parents still have to go to work in summer, and the excessive need to take care of children who are supposed to be in classrooms on weekdays is undoubtedly exhausting, and parents usually have to pay for a nursing service or stay with kids at home themselves. Moreover, as kids are free of school discipline for at least two months, they may forget what they have learned in the previous semester, and learn bad habits that are forbidden in school, which can cause troubles when they return to study. Therefore, 11some people argue that a shorter holiday can relievea shorter holiday is argued by some people to relieve the parents' extra 'workload' and guide students to perform better.

In conclusion, long school holidays do have multiple benefits, especially in offering a rest and chances for students' development. However, 12theirits drawbacks in affecting both parents and children should also be given attention, and a shorter vacation that may lessen those influences seems reasonable to some extent.