Sleep deprivation among young children in Singapore has become a cause for concern, not just for parents, but also for the authorities.
So much so that the Ministry of Education (MOE) has commissioned two research studies to understand the “the impact of factors affecting sleep duration and sleep quality of our students in Singapore.”
This revelation was made by Minister of State for Education Sun Xueling in Parliament on Tuesday (Aug 3) as a response to two questions brought up by MP Jamus Lim (WP-Sengkang) and MP Cheng Li Hui (PAP-Tampines).
These studies will help MOE determine if it is advisable to start schools late, presumably after 8.30am.
Government’s Plans On Revising School Start Times
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During the debate, MP Jamus Lim (WP-Sengkang) asked MOE if “there are plans to re-evaluate school start times especially with most schools currently operating in single-session mode.”
MP Cheng Li Hui (PAP-Tampines) further added to it, enquiring whether the ministry has “plans to revise the starting time for all primary, secondary and pre-tertiary schools to later than 8.30am.”
Both questions were raised because the authorities have observed that fewer than 15 per cent of secondary school students do not get the recommended daily eight hours of sleep.
According to the Parliament members, child development experts, as well as sleep experts, have also been advocating for schools to start no earlier than 8.30am.
In response to the two questions MOE pointed to the recently commissioned two research studies that will help to better understand why schools should start later and how this can benefit children’s sleep habits.
“MOE will consider the results of the local and overseas research,” the ministry shared.
Factors MOE Will Consider Before Revised School Timings Such As Letting Kids Sleep More
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As you know, schools in Singapore currently start no earlier than 7.30am. But later school timings could enable better academic performance.
International studies have found that the amount and quality of sleep “is influenced by multiple factors, such as circadian rhythm, exercise, and sleep habits.”
Having a later school start time (later than 8.30am) could give students longer sleep durations and possibly help with their performance in school.
With this major factor into consideration, it is possible that your child will see a later school start timing soon.
But that does not mean these timings aren’t or cannot already be adopted by schools in Singapore.
Schools Already Have The Autonomy To Adopt Revised Start Time
As Ms Sun pointed out that schools have the “autonomy to adopt a later school start time, taking into consideration factors such as parents’ feedback, school end time, impact on after-school and inter-school programmes, transport provisions and traffic situation around their schools.”
All of this collectively will influence MOE’s nod on revised school timings.
Can Schools And Parents Collectively Encourage Good Sleeping Habits?
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During the debate, MP Lim Biow Chuan (PAP-Mountbatten) also raised a pertinent question. He enquired if school could get parents to “get their children to sleep early.”
“I recall that when my kids were young, I used to tell them to sleep early, so that they would be able to have more sleep and to wake up early to be able to go to school without having problems,” he shared.
“Instead of getting school to start later, would we not consider asking children to sleep earlier to get their full quota of available sleep?”
Ms Sun responded by saying that while delayed school timings “may not translate directly” to longer sleep duration, good sleeping habits do matter.
She also pointed to a local study conducted in 2016 that found that a 45-minute delay in school start time lead to a total sleep time increase of “about 10 minutes at the nine-month follow-up.”
“We need to work closely with parents so that the students have good sleeping habits, good sleep hygiene,” Ms Sun added.
Do you think schools should start later than 8.30am? Tell us here.
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