Editor's note: Yang Chuchu is an opinion editor with CGTN Digital. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN. 

For almost all students, the most exciting period of every year may be the summer vacation, during which they have a two-month break. However, accompanying the leisure time are penetrating extracurricular training classes and homework imposed by some teachers or parents who fear the students may fall behind. Will the summer vacation become summer slide or summer overload?

According to a 2017 education report, the average daily homework time of Chinese primary and secondary school students is around three hours, three times the global level. Among Asian countries, China's primary and secondary school students spend 3.7 times as much time on homework as Japan and 4.8 times as much as South Korea.

Realizing the growing concerns, China's Ministry of Education has recently released guidelines concerning reasonable arrangements for homework and alleviating extracurricular overload on students during summer vacation to try to ensure a safe, happy and meaningful holiday for them.

Other countries also have similar concerns. The U.S. National Education Association recommends no more than ten minutes of homework per grade level, per night, in consideration of sparing enough time for children's social development.

Indeed more homework doesn't necessarily mean higher achievements. According to a 2018 study by Lewis and Clark College, too much homework can exert negative influences on the lives of students, leading to extra pressure and physical and psychological problems, thus hindering learning. Some netizens expressed their support for the findings on Sina Weibo, the popular Twitter-like platform, with one saying, "I agree, and to take it a step further; giving too much homework can take away from the learning experience itself."

Furthermore, homework can occupy too much of children's time, leaving no time for family gatherings or entertainment. It is without a doubt that family time is of vital importance to children's healthy development. Therefore, children should be given enough time for family activities, setting up a good relationship with their parents.

However, another perplexing problem is the so-called summer slide, where children lose the equivalent of two months of scholastic skills (in math and reading) and generally need four to six weeks at the start of the new school year to be brought back to where they were before. Many teachers and parents are worried that totally relaxing during summer vacation can make children fall behind.

It is, therefore, suggested that students can be encouraged or motivated to use a proper amount of time for reading in addition to entertainment. In modern society, our lives are inundated with fragmentary and useless information. And with the aid of the internet, viewing seems to become more and more attractive than reading.

Nevertheless, the benefits of reading cannot be ignored. Reading can be a complementary source for gaining knowledge in addition to classes. And with the various topics and styles of books, students can choose the ones they are interested in, and fill the gaps in their knowledge. From novels, children can learn the use of words and the layout of stories. From historical books, they can have a better understanding of their country and even world history, gaining more insights into modern society. From science books, they can know more of the earth, the sky and the universe.

In fact, many countries and regions have realized the importance of reading. For example, the state of Tennessee in the U.S. developed the Read to be Ready summer reading camp program to encourage reading among students. And the Summer Reading Challenge in the UK, a national project, has been going on for many years. It is a program where children can read whatever they like and just record their reading minutes.

In China, governments can also set up similar projects, motivating students to read while giving them the right to choose during summer vacation. On one hand, this can inspire their interest and broaden their horizons, and on the other hand, it can build up a good reading atmosphere in our country.

Just as George R.R. Martin once said, "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one."

Summer is a time to relax and recharge one’s batteries, physically and mentally. However, relaxation doesn't necessarily mean being idle and recharging can be about good fun and meaningful activities, such as reading. When students roll out the red carpet for the summer vacation, they can strike a balance between summer overload and summer slide, whether it be reading or trips.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com)