Classes start at 6:30: Are we overusing classrooms and exhausting students?

6h30 - Ảnh 1. — Students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade have to wait a long time to park their vehicles, so they are often late for class - Photo courtesy

After Tuoi Tre Online posted information about the plan to adjust class hours at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, many readers' comments expressed concern and even opposition.

Class starts at 6:30, students have to get up at 5:00 am

Most opinions still lean towards the idea that school starts too early. "Really going to school?" - Nguyen Tuan Loc exclaimed.

Another reader was upset: "Machinalistically adjusting, not paying attention to students."

Hanh Huynh asked: "If class starts at 6:30, do students have to wake up at 5:00 or earlier? Does the school think about the students' health?"

Reader Huu Nhan added: "Wake up, do exercise, then go to school, eat breakfast on the way to get to class on time."

Reader An asked why we can’t start school later and leave earlier. When we have to start school earlier, everyone has to eat early and leave early. Teachers who have small children to take to school are also affected.

"Just reading this is tiring. I feel sorry for you guys" - Lyly, who hasn't entered university yet, also shared.

Avoid traffic or make use of the classroom?

From the story of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, many people believe that arranging study time should be based on the psychology of students, urban traffic conditions and actual learning productivity, instead of just aiming to "avoid traffic jams" or "take advantage of classrooms".

The 6:30 a.m. class time may save time for the school, but it leaves many students feeling exhausted right from the start of the day.

The question many readers ask is: "If it doesn't bring about effective learning, is starting earlier really necessary?"

According to reader Do Nhat, the credit training regulations issued in 2007 stipulate that a class period lasts 50 minutes. With a 120-credit university program in 4 years, on average students only need to study about 3 periods per day, which is less than half a day. "Why do we have to force students to come early and leave late, studying up to 6 periods per day?" - this reader asked.

Another reader, Ana, frankly said: "Classes start at 6:30 am, probably only at this school in the world ."

Dragon shares his child's experience studying abroad with a government scholarship: "Over there, morning classes start at 10:15, each session lasts 75 minutes, at most only 4 sessions/day."

Many opinions agree that adjusting school hours should be based on students' living habits, health and urban traffic conditions, instead of just by the goal of "making the most of classrooms" or "reducing traffic jams".

"If it doesn't help students learn better, what's the point of starting earlier?" - a reader asked.

However, not everyone opposes earlier school hours. Some people think that waking up early is "not a big deal". Reader Pham Xuan Hai recounted: "In the past, we went to school at 6:30 a.m. and walked nearly 10km without any problems."

Many students but not enough classrooms, have to schedule from early morning to late night

Besides class hours, many readers said the problem lies in timetable and facility management.

Reader Vinh raised a deeper issue, which is the reality that many universities have large enrollment quotas but not enough classrooms, so classes must be scheduled from early morning to late evening, including weekends.

"Universities have large enrollment quotas but the facilities are not enough to meet them. Currently, students have to study from 7am to 9pm, including Saturdays and Sundays, and many schools cannot arrange classrooms, so the timetable is not announced in advance, but only announced before Sunday for the next school week, causing students to have to change many plans.

The Ministry of Education and Training needs to review regulations on enrollment quotas for schools that do not ensure reasonable facilities and study time" - reader Vinh suggested.