For most children and teenagers, the summer holidays are not over yet. At Atert-Lycée in Redange, however, classes have already resumed, with pupils attending maths lessons to prepare for the new school year. The summer school, launched in 2020 in response to the Covid crisis, has since become an established part of Luxembourg’s education system.
The voluntary and free refresher courses are particularly popular among pupils in the lower years of secondary school, from year 7 to year 5, according to Jenny Roch from the Ministry of Education, who oversees the summer school programme at secondary level.
Depending on how each lycée organises the programme, courses last either one or two weeks. During that time, pupils are supported by teachers as well as, to a large extent, university students.
“This is my fourth year and I keep coming back because I enjoy it”, said Célina Krack, who studies chemistry in Germany. She also sees the summer school as an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the teaching profession.
When it comes to the lessons themselves, she says the small groups make a real difference. Pupils are more comfortable asking questions and taking part, which helps make the transition into the new school year easier, according to Krack.
Semir Hosic, who will begin his university studies in October and is currently teaching summer school courses at Atert-Lycée, also sees benefits for participants. He believes they have an opportunity to go over the material again and therefore start with an advantage over pupils who only return to school when the new academic year officially begins.
Maths remains the most popular subject
The summer school is available at both primary and secondary level and offers two types of courses, Roch explained: refresher courses, which help pupils address gaps from the previous school year, and resit preparation courses for those who need to sit an additional exam.
According to the Ministry of Education, more than 7,400 registrations were recorded this year, compared with 5,900 in 2020. The increase is largely attributed by the ministry to Luxembourg’s growing population.
At secondary level, maths remains the subject in highest demand, followed by French. Among pupils preparing for resit exams, biology, physics, and chemistry are also in high demand.