Will the Heatwave Delay the Start of the School Year?
Citizens propose postponing it to September 14, but the Ministry of Science currently has no plans to change the calendar. Some European countries are already considering adjustments.
Citizens propose postponing it to September 14, but the Ministry of Science currently has no plans to change the calendar. Some European countries are already considering adjustments.
As Croatia experiences a heatwave these days, the public is increasingly questioning whether it is realistic for the school year to start as planned. Some citizens are appealing for a postponement of the start of classes, pointing to high temperatures and the lack of air conditioning in most schools. The Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth says that for now, nothing is changing.
According to the current school calendar, classes are scheduled to begin on September 7, 2026. A reader of the portal srednja.hr has sent the Ministry a concrete proposal to postpone the start of the school year by one week, i.e., to September 14. In his initiative, he warns of the almost unbearable conditions in classrooms.
"Given the extreme heat and the fact that most of our schools lack air conditioning, being in classrooms in early September becomes unbearable and dangerous for children's health. There is no sense in children sitting at +35°C in overheated rooms, while concentration and teaching effectiveness are reduced to a minimum. Therefore, I am submitting an initiative to the Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth with a concrete and easily feasible proposal: postpone the start of the school year by one week, i.e., begin classes on September 14," wrote the citizen in the initiative reported by srednja.hr.
In his proposal, the citizen also immediately offered a solution to make up for the missed school days. He believes that this week could be compensated by abolishing the second part of the winter break, which takes place in February.
"That week could be compensated by abolishing the second part of the winter break, which lasts only one week anyway and in practice often interrupts the continuity of teaching without any real need. In this way, no one loses teaching days or curriculum, and children and teachers get more humane working conditions," he said.
The portal srednja.hr asked the Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth whether a postponement of the start of classes is being considered. The answer was short and clear, such a possibility is currently not on the table. The school calendar for 2026/2027 remains in force without changes.
"The school calendar for 2026/2027 is still in force. We believe that at this moment it is impossible to forecast what the temperature will be on September 7, and therefore it is impossible to respond to inquiries like this one," the Ministry stated for srednja.hr.
Croatia is not the only country where the impact of increasingly warm September days on school obligations is being discussed. According to Euronews, several European countries are already seriously considering adjusting the school calendar due to more frequent and intense heatwaves. Among them are France, Spain, and Italy, which are thinking about ending the school year earlier and extending summer holidays.
Although Croatian students, at least for now, will sit at their desks on the first Monday in September, the issue of adapting to climate change and inadequate classroom conditions will likely be raised more frequently in the years to come.
