Most Chinese middle-school students don't sleep enough, because of heavy study burdens, a recent survey by a group of education media found.

Almost 70 percent of Chinese junior high-school students slept less than seven hours a night, according to the survey, which is based on 1,783 students' questionnaires. The Chinese education authority issued a guideline in 1979, which said middle-school students should have at least nine-hours of sleep or eight hours for high-school students.

The results are due to middle-school students' schedules, the survey said. In the questionnaire, 39.04 percent middle-school students arrived at schools between 6 AM to 6:30 AM; 24.85 percent of students had to get up as early as from 5 AM to 5:30 AM. Only 22.27 percent students were permitted to reach schools from 7:30 AM to 8 AM.

Corresponding with the arrival-time data, the leaving-time data shows: 22.66 percent of student left schools before 9 PM; 36. 74 percent were off between 9 PM to 10 PM and 18.45 percent got back home after 11pm.

The Ministry of Education said middle-school students should not study beyond eight hours per day, including the study time at school. But the questionnaires shows 59.71 percent students have 11 classes per day and 27.65 percent even have more than 13 classes every day.

(Shanghai Daily March 6, 2006)