Some turn to summer schools, others to private nurseries operating for part of the summer, while many combine different solutions depending on the days they must cover, their available income and whether family members can help.
Every June, when the final school bell rings, children begin their summer holidays. For thousands of working parents, however, an annual race begins. Where will the children stay until schools reopen in September?
The question returns every year, particularly for families with children in kindergarten and primary school. These are ages at which children cannot be left alone at home and require daily supervision, care and a safe environment. At the same time, parents continue working normally, while school holidays last far longer than the leave days available to most employees.
As a result, for many families summer is not just a period of rest. It is a period of organisation, problem-solving and financial pressure. Some rely on summer schools, others on private nurseries operating for part of the summer, while many combine solutions based on their needs, income and available support from relatives.
The problem is not that there are no options. It is that available options are fragmented, time-limited, often costly and not always available for all age groups. Families with relatives, flexible work or the financial means to pay for private programmes can cover part of the gap. For others, every summer becomes an exercise in planning and endurance.
Grandparents or leave
The first solution for many families is an informal support network. Grandparents, aunts and uncles step in to cover days or weeks when there is no school or organised activity.
In many cases, parents save part of their annual leave specifically for the summer months, while couples try to stagger their leave to extend coverage.
But this solution is not guaranteed. Some families have no nearby relatives, single-parent households lack support, and many parents work in jobs without flexibility or cannot take leave when needed. In July and August, when many employees request time off simultaneously, pressure also shifts to workplaces.
Leave, which under other circumstances would be rest time, often becomes a mechanism to fill a gap. When days run out, parents turn to summer schools, public or private – raising the same question: how much of the summer is actually covered, and at what cost?
What the state covers
Public summer schools attempt to cover part of the gap, but their duration, reach and age coverage are limited.
For summer 2026, Public Summer Schools operate from June 22 to July 24 – just 25 working days. This means public coverage does not start immediately after schools close and ends by late July. After that, parents must find alternative solutions.
According to the Ministry of Education, the programme runs in 64 schools nationwide: 39 primary schools and 25 kindergartens. While significant for families who secure places, coverage remains limited compared to the full public school network.
In the 2023–2024 school year, 329 primary schools and 274 kindergartens were in operation. Based on this, summer primary schools cover about 11.9% of public primary schools and summer kindergartens about 9.1% of public kindergartens – roughly one in ten units overall.
This limited coverage is critical given that the problem mainly affects children who cannot be left unsupervised. The issue is even more acute for younger children, who require more structured care.
Public kindergartens do not cover all early ages. Infants and very young children in nurseries or private facilities are effectively excluded. For these families, solutions are fewer or non-existent, pushing them towards private options or family support.
The core issue is therefore not whether a public programme exists, but how much of the summer gap it covers. With only 25 working days and limited participation, Public Summer Schools provide partial relief rather than a full solution.
The biggest gap begins after July 24. From then until schools reopen, parents face the same question again: who will care for the children, for how many hours and at what cost?
The private solution
When public programmes end or places are unavailable, families turn to the private sector. Summer schools, private nurseries and activity programmes cover part of the summer, mainly for primary and kindergarten children.
However, availability, affordability and duration are not guaranteed.
A sample survey conducted across private providers shows costs vary widely depending on region, schedule, child age, whether meals are included and duration:
- lower-cost programmes start at €60–€70 per week
- many range between €110–€150 per week
- some exceed €250–€400 per week
Monthly costs reveal the real burden:
- €70 per week equals about €280 per month (one child)
- €120 per week equals €480 per month
- €150 per week reaches €600 per month
- for two children, costs can approach or exceed €1,000 per month
- for three children, or mixed ages, costs and logistics become even more complex
These costs add to existing household expenses – rent, loans, bills, food, fuel. For many working parents without family support, private programmes are not a real choice but a necessity.
Availability is another major issue. In a Limassol summer school charging €480 for four weeks, only one place remained in early June. In other cases, places were fully booked months earlier, with waiting lists.
Age restrictions also limit access. Many programmes do not accept children under five, leaving families with younger children fewer options, especially when nurseries close during summer.
The August gap
The biggest challenge remains August.
Many summer schools operate only until late July or early August. Fewer cover the first half of August, and even fewer remain open after mid-August.
This creates a major gap. Even families that manage early summer coverage face the same problem again.
Survey data shows:
- some programmes charge €250–€300 for two weeks in August
- others charge around €150 per week
Even these options rarely cover the entire month and offer limited places.
The result is a fragmented system where access depends on income, location, timing, child age and availability. For families with multiple children, costs can become prohibitive. For those without support networks, the lack of places can derail entire summer plans.
August remains the system’s biggest blind spot – a period when public options have ended, private options shrink and parents are left largely on their own.
Some return to leave, others rely on grandparents, others pay whatever is available, and many simply try to “patch together” solutions until schools reopen.
Parents in “summer mode”
The issue is also reflected in parents’ own experiences. Responses gathered via social media highlight common concerns – the need for leave, reliance on grandparents, high private costs and especially the August gap.
Penelope: “For working parents, August is very difficult when schools and most summer schools close. If parents cannot close their work, they take turns on leave. More summer programmes in August would help.”
Maria: “Subsidies are needed so nurseries and summer schools stay open. Parenting support in Cyprus is lacking. Keeping businesses open in summer is expensive, as both staff and owners want time off. The government does not support parenting – we are years behind.”
Ioannis: “A combination of leave and a babysitter until September 14, not just August. The system is not designed for working parents.”
Elena: “It’s a complex issue. Even summer schools close for two weeks in August. Everyone requests leave at the same time, leading to workplace tension.”
Panayiotis: “You have to take leave or go on expensive holidays when no other option exists.”
Marianna: “It’s stressful. We split our leave and never take holidays together. Schools open mid-September, and full-day schools start even later – more problems. You just hope you won’t lose your job.”
Katerina: “It’s a nightmare. Summer school in August is expensive. Without grandparents, there are no other options. You can’t take leave for the whole month.”
Niki: “The problem continues in September, with two weeks before schools reopen and more weeks before full-day schooling resumes.”
These testimonies underline a persistent reality: for many families, the end of the school year marks not a break, but the beginning of a complex and demanding balancing act.
