Do officials really perceive children as machines?
In schools of Kyrgyzstan, the autumn break will last only 5 days, and the spring break — 3 days. This has caused dissatisfaction among parents and concern among children and teachers, as there is not enough time to recuperate between academic quarters.
The situation was commented on by education expert Almaz Tajybay, who noted that "we have educational standards that have not been revised since the calendar of weekends and holidays was changed this year. The Ministry of Education is guided by these standards. Perhaps in the future, when we are more integrated into the international community, we should change these norms."
The standards in place since Soviet times were developed with the needs of the USSR economy in mind.
“In other countries, the duration of summer vacations may vary, and in some, the academic year even starts in the summer. We are accustomed to the current schedule. If the economy requires changes, then, of course, we can reconsider the calendar dates. For example, in winter, our citizens are not inclined to take long vacations. It is important to find a balance between the demands of the economy and the needs of children,” Tajybay added.
In his opinion, when determining the dates of vacations, the opinions of scientists, including doctors and physiologists, should be taken into account.
“It is important to achieve a balance, considering the number of days off. In Kyrgyzstan, some schools operate for 5 days, while others for 6. The historically established vacation periods were set back in Soviet times. Should they be changed if they serve their purpose?” the expert questions.
As a reminder, the autumn break in Kyrgyz schools is scheduled from November 5 to 9, while the spring break is from March 6 to 8. Locals believe that these periods are insufficient: excluding Saturday and Sunday, students will only be able to rest for three days in autumn and one day in spring between academic quarters.
The Ministry of Education responded that there are 30 days off in the academic year. They claim that considering the new holiday calendar for 2025, all dates are set correctly.
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