Back to school

The beginning of September. Here it is, we’re here! The days are beginning to grow shorter. The summer period is gradually fading into the arms of the autumn. Soon the holidays will be nothing but a distant memory. For young people still in their school years, the end of the holidays is obviously synonymous in their eyes with the end of a certain carefree existence. Throughout Europe, with common points but also with numerous differences, young Europeans are getting ready. It’s time to go back to school!

At EU level the return to classes means a return of around 100 million people to their activities. That is, around one-fifth of the total population of the Union. Not to mention the fact that it also involves the return to work of the teachers and all the other people whose profession is directly connected with the school environment. This impression that time is speeding up after the summer holidays is therefore quite justified.

In certain countries in the EU, the beginning of school has already taken place. In Denmark, for example, courses started up again on 11 August. Like Germany and The Netherlands, Denmark is one of the Member States of the EU in which the summer holidays are the shortest. Therefore there is not one single, uniform date for the beginning of the school year, valid for everyone in the EU. And this is not the only thing that differs among the educational systems in force in the 27 Member States. For certain countries, such as Italy, classes take place only in the morning. For others, like France and Belgium, they run all day. The total number of hours per pupil spent at their school desks also varies significantly from one State to the next. Each country places the accent on a different set of priorities within the framework of its pedagogical system. For example, some grant more importance to artistic education or to sport activities. Others prefer to back other areas of skills and fulfilment of the pupils.

Although the 27 Member States work out their own policy concerning education, in this area the European Union plays the role of a platform for exchanging good practices and setting common objectives. In addition, the EU finances numerous programmes that make it possible for Europeans to make good use of their skills by studying, training or participating in volunteer activities in other countries.

For example, the Comenius programme of the European Commission encourages exchanges and partnerships between teachers and pupils in schools located in various countries of the EU. In concrete terms, a class in Finland can debate by video-conference on the environmental challenges with pupils located in Spain. The objective of the programme is to reach the bar this year of 3 million pupils involved in these partnerships, a source of mutually enriching exchanges.

Beyond the numerous differences in the systems of education, we can hope for the children of the European Union that they will benefit fully from this period of learning, from these very wonderful years in which they will structure an essential part of their personality. What remains to be said, then, except: "Enjoy it to the maximum, young people!".