In Shanghai's Pudong New Area, a primary school's practice of delaying both the time when class begins in the morning and ends in the afternoon is receiving a warm welcome from parents and children.

 

Yutong Primary School has recently begun a new schedule: Three lessons in the morning and four in the afternoon instead of four in the morning and three in the afternoon, according to the Xinmin Evening News earlier this month.

 

Shanghai primary schools usually begin at around 7:30 AM, so children and parents must get up very early.

 

The ending time is even more of a headache to parents. Since last October when primary schools were no longer allowed to charge for wantuoban, or the after-school supervision of pupils, many schools have canceled the service.

 

Formally, primary schools usually end at about 3:30 PM. Wantuoban used to begin at that time and last until 4:30 PM, when many parents get off work.

 

The cancellation of wantuoban makes it difficult for parents to take time from work to pick up their children, let alone take care of them.

 

Yutong Primary School's new time schedule is good news to parents: It begins at 8:15 AM, half an hour later than previously, and ends at around 4:30 PM.

 

This means children and parents can sleep half an hour longer in the morning, which is good, especially in winter.

 

The new schedule also enables parents to pick up their children after work as usual.

 

The school also requires pupils to have a minimum 15 to 20 minutes at noon to help them study better in the afternoon.

 

The school is greatly appreciated for its thoughtfulness towards parents and children.

 

More schools should follow Yutong's example.

 

(Shanghai Daily January 19, 2007)