School’s out early for us in European league table

IRELAND has one of the shortest secondary school terms in Europe, a new report has revealed.

The European Commission study on sets out the yearly timetable in 38 different countries in the continent – and Ireland is almost at the bottom of the table for clocking up classroom days in secondary school. When it comes to lower secondary school, only France, part of Belgium, Albania, Cyprus and Montenegro spend less time at their desks.

Post-primary children in Ireland spent 167 days in school but our nearest neighbours in the UK are in the classroom for 190 days which translates to nearly five extra weeks. Meanwhile, kids in Italy and Denmark are obliged to spend 200 days or 40 weeks in post-primary school which is nearly seven extra weeks of tutorials.

While the Irish primary school term is around average, the secondary school term is one of the shortest on the table.

Primary school kids spent 183 days learning lessons In Ireland but their older counterparts in secondary school have just 167 days to hit the books which is more than three weeks less at their studies.

At the other end of the scale, children in Liechtenstein are on holiday for up to 13 weeks during the summer while Bulgarian pupils are kicking their heels during a 15week break.