Where do you study more than in Israel and where do you study less?
After a year that seemed like an eternity, hundreds of thousands of high school students and teachers are leaving for the long-awaited summer vacation. Israeli children attend school 215 days a year, more than in most countries of the world. The gap between American and Chinese education manifests itself, in part, during the school year: every year the Chinese attend the overcrowded classrooms 71 days longer than their peers in the United States.
Masses of students and teachers will also go on vacation in Belgium, Greece, Portugal and Scotland at the end of the month. In Iceland, on the other hand, people are already getting bored of the vacation that started at the end of May. In the Netherlands, Finland and Slovakia will be forced to stare at another month's calendar.
Every British student is allowed to be absent from class like that for just ten days a year. However, the Minister of Education recently warned parents that those who abuse this and take their children on vacation during school will be fined 100 pounds.
One million and 700 thousand Israeli students in 3,883 educational institutions are advised to enjoy every moment of the holiday. When they grow up and become employees, they will have to make do with ten paid vacation days a year. Even after working for nine years in the same place, their quota will not exceed 23 days. In this matter (as in many others) one can envy the Finns, that even the starting workers among them are entitled to a month's annual vacation. In Mexico, on the other hand, workers rest from their work only six days a year.
Maya Levin, Haaretz, Walla News
