Classes start at 6:30, or even 6:00, is it suitable for today's students?

giờ học - Ảnh 1. — Ho Chi Minh City University of Education is one of the few universities in Ho Chi Minh City that stipulates the first class period starts at 6:30 AM - Photo: TRAN HUYNH

The fact that Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade plans to start classes at 6:30 am is causing heated debate among students and the online community. However, in reality, at 6:30 am, students from several schools in Ho Chi Minh City are already sitting in the lecture halls to start their first class of the day.

Flexible study hours according to credits, period 1 in some places starts at 6:30 but few students choose it

According to the regulations of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, there are 16 lessons per day divided into three shifts, but the first lesson starts at 6:30 AM and the last lesson ends at 9:00 PM. According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Nhan, Head of the Training Department, the school's teaching and learning schedule has been in place for many years, strictly adhering to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training .

With credit-based training, the school builds a flexible timetable by arranging courses at different time slots, including period 1.

Accordingly, students have the right to choose their preferred class times and instructors, rather than being forced to attend.

For example, advanced math is scheduled in period 1, or periods 2, 3, 6, 8… Students can choose to register for this course in any appropriate period.

"However, in reality, very few students choose to attend the first class period, only about 10% of the total number of students. Most of the students who choose the first class period are those residing in dormitories (located right on campus) or those whose homes are near the school. Besides, I once asked students who chose the first class period, and they said they preferred to start early so they could skip the later classes to do other things," Mr. Nhan added.

Mr. Huynh Trung Phong - Director of the Center for Student Support and Entrepreneurship Development of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education - also said that the school has a schedule of two shifts, each shift has three periods. In which, the first period starts at 6:30 am.

"This class schedule has been in place at the school for a long time, not recently. However, in reality, not all departments in the school use the first shift. Only departments that schedule classes for the first shift require students to attend class from the first period at 6:30 AM. Students in the first shift attend classes quite regularly," Mr. Phong said.

University class schedules: same credits, different "alarm clock times"

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology stipulates a five-shift school day: two shifts with six periods in the morning (period 1 starts at 6:45), two shifts with six periods in the afternoon, and one shift with three periods in the evening (ending at 8:15 p.m.).

According to Mr. Cu Xuan Tien, Head of Admissions and Student Affairs at the University of Economics and Law, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, classes for full-time students at the university start at 7:00 AM in the morning and usually end at 4:30 PM in the afternoon (for 3-credit courses). In addition, a few 2-credit courses end at 5:45 PM. Full-time students at the university do not attend evening classes.

Mr. Van Chi Nam - Vice Rector of the University of Science (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City) - said that the school has different class schedules at its two campuses. Campus 1 (227 Nguyen Van Cu, Cho Quan Ward) has 12 lessons per day, with the first lesson starting at 7:00 AM and the last lesson ending at 6:00 PM, while Campus 2 (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City urban area) has 10 lessons per day, with the first lesson starting at 7:30 AM and the last lesson ending at 5:00 PM.

At the Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, full-time students pursuing a first degree have a daily schedule of 10 lessons, divided into two sessions: morning and afternoon. Mr. Le Van Hien, Head of the Training Department, stated: "Currently, the university organizes teaching at three campuses with different class schedules, depending on the number of lessons in each course. For courses with 5 lessons per session (at campuses 1 and 2), the morning session starts at 7:00 AM and the afternoon session ends at 5:25 PM. For courses with 4 lessons per session (campuses 1 and 2), the time is divided more precisely, but the first lesson in the morning also starts at 7:00 AM and in the afternoon at 4:35 PM. At campus 3, the class schedule is adjusted, with the morning session starting at 7:30 AM and the afternoon session ending at 4:00 PM."

Some schools have their first class at 6 a.m., but…

The Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City stipulates that each day's teaching and learning hours consist of 16 periods (50 minutes/period) divided into three shifts (morning, afternoon, and evening). The morning shift includes six periods, with the first period starting at 6:00 AM; the afternoon shift includes six periods, with the seventh period starting at 12:00 PM; and the evening shift includes four periods, with the thirteenth period starting at 6:00 PM and the sixteenth period ending at 9:10 PM.

Despite the prescribed class schedule, according to the school representative, in reality, both campuses 1 and 2 start classes at 7:00 AM (from the second period). The first and sixteenth periods of the day are reserved only for special cases, such as classes for working professionals from distant provinces, students who need to study early, or those with specific requests from instructors and students.