Closed schools, no public plan: summer in Italy means stress, costs and children in front of the screens. You need a serious reform, do not remember
In a dozen days, the school ends. Children celebrate, Parents worry. On the contrary, they have already started doing it And it is not a matter of votes, report cards and school media: thoughts concern family finances and the management of daysbecause summer in Italy is still a leap into the void: Three months without network.
Not an organizational network, not a public support network and management help. Only the domestic one, that of Wi-Fito whom many families will end up delegating – out of necessity more than by choice – The entertainment of children.
We are in 2025 and the scenario is the same as last year, the one before, in short as always: The school closes on June 8th And the rest of the institutions turns to the other side. No national plan, no public structure, no concrete response For the long time of summer.
Whoever is lucky find a place at the oratory, But it is not for everyoneeven if only for a numerical question, and then not everyone intends to make use of it, even if for the management of summer time the help of neighborhood providence is welcomed with less skepticism even by the most critical.
Who can afford it is addressed to private campuswith Costs that in some cases exceed a thousand euros per month per child.
Sometimes splendid activities, but not for everyoneand then here the question concerns the public offernot the private one, always available, wanting to choose it and being able to do it.
Who has neither one nor the other, arranges: with grandparents, with hints divided by spizzichi, with occasional babysitters or – more and more often – with tablets and TV to make it the masters.
In other countries, first of all, there is a different distribution of holidays and school breakswhile managing an analogous school in terms of annual classroom days.
The reform of the school calendar is a necessary path to at least think – Oh yes, because it will take months and months of work just to reach a first sustainable and presentable model – but must be traveled with seriousness and real investments.
You don’t need mende.
Need schools equipped with air conditioning systemsOf adequate spacesOf Personnel formed For a summer teaching activity that is different, more flexible, more experiential.
They are therefore needed Ideas and non -improvisations, foresight and not rattopand therefore huge investments for family welfare.
Serve a profound revisionespecially in the first cycle, which is capable of Align the educational times with the social and economic ones of the country.
THE Three months of vacation – Beautiful, who would do without it being able to?! – they were functional to family structures that no longer existor that at least do not represent the most common social model.
Furthermore, in order not to entrust the theme of summer time totally to the reform of the calendar – which would risk cataloging it in the category “unsolvable problems“With all due respect to everyone – that’s Other possible scenarios:
In France There are ad hoc state contributions For families precisely to meet these summer expenses for children up to 11 years.
In Germany And Holland the Municipalities organize educational programs accessible to alldemonstrating that Good local public management can intervene in the absence of a national program.
In Sweden there is a integrated educational services system which in fact holds public summer schools also open in July for children up to 12 years.
From us? We rely on the caseto the informal network of parishes, to availability (and health and survival) of the grandparents.
And who has no alternative, resign himself to whole days in front of a screen.
AND It is not enough to say “there is August”. August it is not for everyone. Holidays do not cover three monthsand those who work in tourism, healthcare, services, it can’t even think about it.
So, summer after summer, The threshold of fatigue rises. AND that of quality is lowered.
Summerwhich should be a time of discovery, game, freedombecomes A logistics problem to solve by own means – or with a screen.
But can we really still afford it?
Serve a real network. Made of public, accessible, widespread summer centers.
Made of timetables compatible with those who work.
Made of visionWhy Education does not stop in June And The family is not a private deal.
The paradox is all here: We continually speak of demographic crisis, of support for parenting, of work-life conciliationand then We leave the families alone for ninety days, without a rag of public structure on which to count on.
And without there being An election, national or local campaignthat takes charge of the problem. Neither a promise: it is really a great removed, because addressing the question means predicting a remarkable, remarkable economic and energy investment.
Necessary.
A public summer is possible.
But it must be built with far -sighted ideas and huge resources.
The problem is not the lack of solutions. It is the lack of will.
