Why Less Could Be More For UAE Pupils Facing Lengthy School Days

According To The Study, “The longer school day does not lead to higher academic performance outcomes.” It has been found that children with anxiety and eating disorders are on the rise, in part due to the pressures of long school days, say mental health experts. In his opinion, people often idealise examples from elsewhere around the globe, according to Anthony Murphy, director of psychology at University of Birmingham Dubai.

In Spite Of The Fact That The Finnish Model Is Often Idealized,

It works for a homogeneous population in Finland, he explained. Mr Murphy said that more research is needed in the UAE to determine what works here. Even the most resilient employees can suffer the effects of a long working week, with reports of burnout and mental fatigue on the rise worldwide. The frantic pace of modern life shows no sign of slowing down as it is not only adults who are working long hours and commuting long distances.

Most students in private schools in the UAE spend seven to eight hours in class, but some students can spend as many as 12 hours away from home each day due to extracurricular activities and travel times. The day normally starts between 7:00am and 8:00am, and ends between 3:00pm and 4:00pm, so students usually need to get up between 5.30am and 6.30am.

It has raised questions about whether less is better for the well-being of young minds given the challenging schedule that is mirrored and even more exhausting in other countries. School day length has not been linked to increased productivity, greater learning or improved performance among pupils, according to experts.

In Terms Of Global Comparisons, How Does UAE Fare?

Finland’s school day is shorter than six hours, with pupils starting at 9am and finishing at 2.45pm, a standard bearer for education standards. US school days average 6.64 hours, while UK school days average five to six hours. School days in South Korea are the longest, with pupils learning for up to 16 hours a day, with after-school academies and school meals available. A typical school day in China lasts nine hours, while that in the Philippines lasts nine hours as well. Quantity is not as important as quality.

At Jumeira Baccalaureate School In Dubai,

Vice principal Erika Elkady said that children should not be overburdened. Many studies in different countries have shown that longer school days do not lead to better learning or higher achievement for students. A higher performance does not correlate with more hours worked. The government needs to support school leaders in being brave and stopping this from happening. Taking care of these kids is our moral obligation.

There are countries where pupils are less stressed, so we can look at some of those where the pressure is less. Allowing children to be children is the right thing to do.All these long school days aren’t helping the children at all; we need to look after our young people.”

Workload Reduction:

A 30-minute cut was made in August 2021 for the school day at Jumeira Baccalaureate School. The first lesson used to start at 7.45am and pupils had to arrive by 7.30am. As of August 2021, students are required to be in school at 8.15am, and their first lesson begins at 8.30am. Grades 11 and 12 students finish their school day at 3.30pm, while younger students finish at 2.50pm.

It was previously customary for all students to finish by 3.15pm. Because school days are long, it is difficult for children to spend time inventing, exploring, and being creative. It is impossible for them to learn when they are exhausted,” ” asked Ms Elkady.

In The UAE,

Schools traditionally start early so that children can get home early and not be stuck in a bus or at school during peak heat hours. Ms Elkady explained that working parents prefer to pick up their children from school after work and drop them off before heading to work.

Time Management:

Research does not support the belief that more time spent in the classroom is better, says Mary Carskadon, a professor at Brown University in the US. “In America, a state will make a law that kids must be in the classroom for a certain number of hours a year, and they’ll lengthen the day to accommodate that, but learning does not improve.” said Professor Carskadon. Neither the bodies nor the brains of the pupils were designed to do this.” Do longer school hours improve children’s performance?

In A 2017 Study From Nigeria,

Longer school hours may be intended as a good thing for students, but educators and policymakers should consider the optimal use of the time and how needs differ from each other. A study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found that how students spend their time at school is more important than how much time they spend in school.

A Pakistani Grade Nine Pupil At Jumeira Baccalaureate School,

Hisham Niaz, 15, often spends more than 12 hours a day at school because of extracurricular activities such as football, rugby, and basketball. A typical day for him consists of waking up at 7am, arriving at school by 8.15am, and returning home around 3pm.

The earlier he woke up for school, he needed to arrive by 7.45am, and he would arrive home by 3.30pm. He comes home around 7pm on days when he has extracurricular activities. Although he lives a short walk from school, he said the shorter hours were helpful. He said he gets the additional sleep that he needs or more time to rest or do homework.

There Are Times When It Gets Tough,

But I’m used to it. In my opinion, that extra 30 minutes or 45 minutes can be very beneficial. It gives me that extra boost of energy to do homework or just relax after an activity. In today’s world, students also take help from professional writers to do their homework so that they can engage in some unique activities that boost their knowledge.

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Productivity does not increase with more hours worked Julie Mallon, founder of Nurture 2 Sleep and a childhood sleep expert, says neuroscience data shows schoolchildren up to the age of 11 should sleep between 7pm and 8pm. Children are not more productive when they work longer hours at school, according to her. “Some of my parents with children younger than six say they go to school and start early.

However, they watch children’s television.” Ms Mallon said that such behavior does not enhance the learning of our children in any way.

As Far As Intelligence Performance Is Concerned,

The longer school day does not have any positive effects.” Children are more likely to suffer from anxiety issues and eating disorders because of long school days, according to mental health experts, Ms Mallon. In his opinion, people often idealise examples from elsewhere around the globe, according to Anthony Murphy, director of psychology at University of Birmingham Dubai.