<![CDATA[Start at 9am]]>Youngsters can get more rest if schools start at 9am


Tue, Jul 29, 2008
The Straits Times



I refer to last Sunday's article, 'Sleepy kids'.

Many primary schools are now single-session. Schools should start later - at 9am instead of 7.20am - so that pupils can have more time to sleep. They can get 10hours of shut-eye if they sleep at 10pm and wake up at 8am.

Teachers should also let pupils finish their work in school, and not let them take too much work home.

Also, having remedial lessons should not mean having more homework. Children should have enough sleep and more time to relax. Let them enjoy their childhood.

Joanne Chua (Mrs)



I am 200% for it. I asked MOE yrs back. They said sch bus need the income from factory workers. What a joke! I salute the principal of CHIJ (at Bukit Timah) to change to 8am.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/684/start-at-9amRSS for NodeThu, 30 Apr 2026 20:37:10 GMTWed, 30 Jul 2008 03:26:23 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:15:54 GMT]]>Seng Kang Primary starts school only at 8am… had wanted to enrol my girl there cos of the time it starts school… but then chose a school that’s 10km away in Bishan…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/5659https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/5659Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:15:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:37:46 GMT]]>me too. 7.30am is too early. Thumb up for the change.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/5397https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/5397Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:37:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:36:48 GMT]]>i am with you. 7.30am is too early. If you need school bus, you are looking at leaving at 6.30am, which means wake up at 6am to prepare to goto school. Too early, too sleepy.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/5316https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/5316Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:36:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:36:41 GMT]]>lol...the tot of waking up at 6am to get the kids ready for school makes me wana laugh :shock: ...i duno y...itz like~~im oredi nt getting enuf sleep when i wake up at 7am :roll: ...wat more abt 6am n may haf to sleep later bcoz every nite haf to coach them in their hmwork till late.


poor kids...an hr later or at 8am or 9am wud do all of the kids n us parents some good.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4849https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4849Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:36:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:13:25 GMT]]>I wonder if more people write to ST forum, would MOE start to tweak its rules? Fat hope, I think.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4843https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4843Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:13:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:20:24 GMT]]>

jedamum:
Are parents willing to pay more for the buses? Hey, these people are trying to run a business too.

How much are other countries' parents paying for the bus fares?
Then how do other countries' bus drivers survive?? What I mean is, where there's a will, there's a way and I really dont mind paying more for bus fares if it means my boy can sleep later :roll:
jedamum:
Are other countries' parents sending their kids to primary school 10km away from their home? It seems that while some parents have no qualms about letting their kids hop onto the school buses at the wee hours of the morning to travel to school 10km away , others have grouses over school starting early.
Well, we live a mere 5 mins away from the school by car but the bus comes around to pick up the kids in my area at 6.30am. School starts at 7.20am. The kids arrive at school before 7am. Most adults dont even start the day so early (of cos not counting those who have to becos of the kids' school). Yes, I have grouses - on behalf of the poor kids!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4834https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4834Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:20:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:58:56 GMT]]>Yeah…that’s why I decided not to enrol my girl for CHIJTP, besides the stress to go thru balloting, I have to consider the ERP cost to drive her to school every morning. Poor residents in TP has to pay to go home! 😎

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4752https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4752Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:58:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:14:56 GMT]]>

JJJmom:
... I am waiting for Govt to pay me to stay at home to be fulltime mother, just like in Europe...

I'd be happy if the Govt just stop collecting money from me for driving my wife home every night before 8pm.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4733https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4733Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:14:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:58:56 GMT]]>

caroline3sg:
JJJmom

I feel that govt should take away maid levy. When maids have higher salary due to the transfer of maid levy to their salary, GENERALLY, should have less maid problems. More people can employ maids? Those without maids like me, employ nanny. I feel that student care should not emphasize on sch work guidance / tuition. They should allow sleeping time (ie if parents need to start work earlier than 9am)

I am waiting for govt to announce flexi working hrs, then LOGICALLY we should be able to cope with sch start at 8 or 9 am.
Caroline,
I am waiting for Govt to pay me to stay at home to be fulltime mother, just like in Europe. I feel guilty going to work, having to leave my children with grandparents. But that's life, we have mouths to feed to survive!
I am one who are no thanks to maid. I ever changed 8 maids in 5 years, enough is enough. Happy to rather do the housework myself 😉

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4731https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4731Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:58:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:31:19 GMT]]>100% support starting school late. but it might be a problem for working parents.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4628https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4628Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:31:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:57:14 GMT]]>

caroline3sg:

If sch teachers teach, then we don't need enrichment. It is widely known that private tuition centres are thriving. Our time where got enrichment?
Yes, I agree. I have teacher friends who went into teaching with aspiration, but was bogged down by tons of paper work. Perhaps that affected their teaching commitment?
But then again, are private tuition centres filled with kids that have borderline marks, or kids wanting to improve from 85 to 90 marks?
Opps...digressing again. :oops:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4553https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4553Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:57:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:44:04 GMT]]>jedamum

I don’t know how much other countries’ charges of sch bus. If things being constant (ie oil prices), I believe parents don’t mind paying a little bit more to get more time for sleeping. If govt never attract FT (ie last time population only 3 mil, now 6 mil), there won’t be so much conjestion that sch bus need to beat the jam. By the way, citizen is the only valuable resource in S’pore. Shouldn’t the govt put the children on top priority than bus drivers’ income?

If sch teachers teach, then we don’t need enrichment. It is widely known that private tuition centres are thriving. Our time where got enrichment?

I mentioned earlier that student care should allow sleeping time in the morning (for children in afternoon session) so even parents need to send kids at 7am, at least they can go to sleep again.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4533https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4533Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:44:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:35:55 GMT]]>i wish i can put my kids nearby too...bt results frm these schs convinced me i cun put them there,if nt,results will suffer... :? nw either haf to move to find another alternative.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4527https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4527Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:35:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:28:20 GMT]]>

wwcookie:
What nonsense about the bus drivers other income! Why is it that other countries do not have this problem?

Are parents willing to pay more for the buses? Hey, these people are trying to run a business too.
How much are other countries' parents paying for the bus fares?

Are other countries' parents sending their kids to primary school 10km away from their home? It seems that while some parents have no qualms about letting their kids hop onto the school buses at the wee hours of the morning to travel to school 10km away , others have grouses over school starting early.

Want our kids to have more rest? Why don't we just start by enrolling them in the nearest school to save on the travelling distance and do away with all those enrichment classes that either eats into the morning or afternoon 'free' time?

Quite a fair bit of parents sent their school going kids to student care and then need to commute to work, so it does not make any major difference if the school start at 9am for this group of people? Considering that they start work at 8.30am and needed 1 hour to commute, they still need to send their kids to student care by 7am.

Our generation had survived the 7.30am school starting time, so why are our kids 'extra' tired? I guess it is the extra classes that eat into play time and homework time that is causing our kids to go to bed later.

Argh...I think this P1 registration stress is getting to me.
:?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4526https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4526Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:28:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:05:52 GMT]]>I am 1000% for it! What nonsense about the bus drivers other income! Why is it that other countries do not have this problem? I heard in Australia, school starts at 9 or 10am and finishes at 3 or 4pm. The children get more sleep there. In fact, I read somewhere Singapore schools have the earliest starting time. By right with single session, schools should start later. Our poor kids!!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4523https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4523Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:05:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:40:12 GMT]]>deardear07

That’s why MOE is targeting single session for all sch by 2011? or 2013?

If have continuously 10 hrs of sleep, may not need afternoon nap.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4440https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4440Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:40:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:36:15 GMT]]>JJJmom

I feel that govt should take away maid levy. When maids have higher salary due to the transfer of maid levy to their salary, GENERALLY, should have less maid problems. More people can employ maids? Those without maids like me, employ nanny. I feel that student care should not emphasize on sch work guidance / tuition. They should allow sleeping time (ie if parents need to start work earlier than 9am)

I am waiting for govt to announce flexi working hrs, then LOGICALLY we should be able to cope with sch start at 8 or 9 am.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4439https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4439Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:36:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:33:32 GMT]]>it wud b better to start at 8-9am… n convert all primary schools to single session. at least after sch,they’d haf time to go for cca,or nap or play…


afternoon session really abit @%$#$…by the time u get hm nearly 8pm,eat dinner n relax abit…oredi 9pm.almost sleeping time bt haf to do hmwork…then finish late at 11pm, or worse cannot finish,wake up 8am to do work till 10-11am,then eat lunch n go get ready for school le…abit no life…no chance to do any other thing.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4438https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4438Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:33:32 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Start at 9am on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:06:33 GMT]]>If this comes true, working parents without maid have to start work at 9am too. Kids can’t be left alone at home where parents have gone to work.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4418https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/4418Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:06:33 GMT