Basel Heatwave: Summer Holiday Debate | News

Basel Considers Shifting School Holidays to Combat Extreme Heat

As temperatures rise across Europe, the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft are weighing a meaningful change to the academic calendar: moving summer vacation to mitigate the impact of increasingly intense heat waves on students and educators. The discussion, gaining momentum as the current summer break begins this weekend, centers on protecting students from learning in dangerously hot classrooms.

The debate isn’t new. Two years ago, a local legislator first raised concerns about the shifting heat patterns, noting that the hottest period now falls between July 23 and August 23 – directly coinciding with the start of the school year.”It is very uncomfortable for schoolchildren to start school again when it is warmest,” one official explained, advocating for a schedule adjustment that would allow students to enjoy cooler weather upon their return to classes.

Today,the proposal has gained traction. A representative from the Stadtbasler Education Department confirmed that the government council is actively exploring options with neighboring cantons to redistribute school holidays throughout the year. The goal, they stated, is to find a solution that is “portable for everyone and which also reflects today’s realities.” This collaborative approach underscores the understanding that a regional solution is necessary for effective implementation.

did you know?-Basel is located in the northwest of Switzerland, nestled in the border triangle between Germany, France, and Switzerland [[2]]. The city lies on the Rhine River [[3]].

However, not all stakeholders are convinced that altering the holiday schedule is the answer. Philipp Loretz, President of the Teacher Association Baselland (LVB), argues that the focus should be on improving classroom conditions, not simply shifting the dates on the calendar. “in our view, a shift itself is not expedient,” he saeid. Loretz emphasized that heat already diminishes learning capacity, with students becoming “sluggish and not receptive” on warm days, perhaps leading to a 10 to 15 percent reduction in effective teaching time during the hottest months.

Loretz advocates for a two-pronged approach: long-term investments in school renovations incorporating active and passive cooling systems – already standard in new buildings in Baselland – and immediate, short-