For Canadians, Labour Day not only marks the end of summer, but also the start of a new school year. Teachers send out their school supplies lists, parents rush to ensure their children have everything they need before heading to class, and kids reluctantly say farewell to another fun-filled two months of summer break. While this routine is normal for us, have you ever wondered when children start school across our sponsor sites? Well, we have the answers.
Latin America
In the Southern Hemisphere, summer begins in December, so their “summer breaks” are generally opposite ours. The start of the school year also varies across Latin America, but here are some of the start-of-school dates across our Latin American sponsor countries.
Bolivia: The official start of the 2026 school year was February 2, 2026. Their “summer break” starts late November or early December and ends in early February when the kids head back to school.
Chile: The start of the first semester of the new school year was March 4, 2026. Their “summer break” is typically from mid-December to late February, or the first week of March, depending on when school starts back up that year.
Guatemala: The standard school year is January to October (this year, international schools started August 3). Public-school-summer vacation is typically from late October to January, although the international schools use the mid-year calendar, and take their “summer break” break from June to early August.
Haiti: The official start date throughout the country is September 7, 2026, with their summer break running from mid-July to early September.
Paraguay: Official start of the 2026 academic year was February 23, 2026, with “summer break” late November/mid-December to late February.
Peru: Most public schools started back for the 2026/2027 school year March 16 and will take “summer break” mid-December to early March.
Africa
In Africa, most countries use the new three-term school system, while others follow timelines closer to our school year.
Ghana: The start of the school year differs between preschool, elementary, and high school. The 2026/2027 academic year starts September 8, 2026 (for younger grades) and September 18, 2026 (high school). Summer break runs from late July/early August to early September.
Kenya: Kenya runs a three-term school year. The new school year for 2026/2027 started January 5, 2026, with a break February 25 to March 1, 2026, before the second term started on April 27, 2026. Their “summer break” is late October to early January.
Tanzania: The standard school calendar year across the country begins in January. International schools resumed August 26, while other schools started the 2026/2027 school year on January 8, 2026. “Summer break” is from mid-November to early January.
Zambia: Zambia runs a three-term school year, taking shorter four-week breaks between terms. The start of their third term was August 4, 2026. Their year-end break runs from early December to early January.
Asia
India: The new school year typically starts in April with summer break running from mid-May to late June/early July, coinciding with India’s peak summer heat.
Philippines: Start of the 2026–2026 school year under a newly adopted trimester/three-term system was June 8, 2026. “Summer break” aligns with the hot, dry season, running from mid-April to early June.
Europe
Ukraine: Children started back for the 2026/2027 school year September 1, 2026. Summer break is similar to ours, running from early June to August 31.
No matter when or where the school bell rings, the excitement of a new school year is a feeling shared by children around the world. Thanks to the Chalice Sponsorship Program, students across our sites will be ready with their backpacks, supplies, and uniforms — and young minds eager to learn.