School hours

School hours

From Media Indonesia

The schools, particularly the junior and senior high schools, are setting different timetables following the five day working system. The change of school hours has created an additional burden to schools and parents, because they have to provide lunch for the pupils.

In this context I would like to give a few suggestions.

We know that the school curriculum has set 42 sessions a week and each session lasts for 45 minutes. To this should be added another 45 minutes for the hoisting of the national flag on Mondays, and one session for guidance and counseling on Tuesdays, making 44 sessions all together.

The school hours can now be arranged as follows:

* The school must start earlier, i.e. 6.30 a.m.

* The first break should last only 15 minutes: 9.30 - 9.45. And the second break 30 minutes: 12.00 - 12.30. During this one hour the pupils refresh themselves with drinks or snacks.

* On Monday and Tuesday the school would end at 2.00 p.m., while on Wednesday and Thursday at 1.15 p.m. On the last day of the week -- Friday -- the school hours should be longer, with a break from 11.15 to 12.45 for Friday prayers. School lunch should be provided on Friday as the school ends at 3.30 p.m.

M. KAMILUN MUHTADIM

Malang, East Java