Shenzhen's Nanshan District Education Bureau has reduced the study load of students in the new semester, by demanding the district's 70 schools cancel after-school homework.

 

According to a new rule, students of primary schools are required to finish their homework within school hours, and 80 percent of the homework of junior high school students must be finished before they leave school.

 

At the same time, the bureau has also required teachers to design more study topics for pupils, which will enable the young people to conduct research, solve problems and train their abilities in logical thinking.

 

Though some parents have applauded the move to reduce the students' workload, others are puzzled as to what to do with their children in the evenings.

 

Some parents say they will borrow books for their children to read and certain schools are planning to organize seminars to guide parents on how to create a good after-school environment.

 

The district education bureau has also required schools to not reduce the time set aside for the teaching of music, physical education, arts and social activities.

 

At the beginning of the current semester, the city's Luohu District postponed the start of school by 50 minutes to 8:20 AM for primary school students, from the original 7:30 AM.

 

The move was aimed at guaranteeing students sufficient time for sleep.

 

Some parents welcomed the move. "If they go to sleep at 9 PM, they should get up at 7 AM. But in fact, many students could not go to bed at 9 PM because of heavy homework and they have to get up at 6 AM to 6:30 AM for preparation to school," said the father of a student of Luo-ling Primary School.

 

But an official with the municipal education bureau said postponing the start of school would make it difficult to fit in all the lessons, because according to the national teaching plan, primary students should have 30 lessons a week.

 

Some parents say the lack of sleep is not caused by getting up early in the morning but by going to sleep late at night.

 

(Shenzhen Daily March 8, 2007)