Autumn school holidays a welcome break with tradition

Concerns, challenges

Despite encouragement of such breaks dating back to a 2013 State Council tourism guideline, widespread adoption remains limited.

Responding to a public suggestion for Shenzhen, Guangdong, to implement the breaks on people.com.cn, the city's education bureau cited significant hurdles. A major concern was parents who lack leave, which could lead to unsupervised children or increased reliance on paid tutors, burdening families financially.

Furthermore, meeting curriculum demands for science, sports, mental health and labor education within the existing academic calendar is challenging, and adding breaks could make completing new curriculum standards difficult.

Mu Qiongfang, principal of Lichuan Second Ethnic Experimental Primary School, acknowledged the practical challenges of the new breaks. "Some parents worry that it affects studies or they are unable to arrange meaningful activities. Managing student safety when they are dispersed across various locations is also difficult," Mu said.

She said the school will enhance communication with parents, provide safety reminders before the break and offer guidance when needed. The benefits outweigh the challenges, she said.

"Overall, it's an excellent practice for holistic education. Thinking of the children's smiling faces makes it all worthwhile," Mu said.