Not time yet to change school hours, says NUTP

 

A university lecturer had proposed that schools in Peninsular Malaysia should start at 8am instead of 7.30am.

PETALING JAYA: The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) has poured cold water on a proposal to start classes at 8am in Peninsular Malaysia, saying it is not the time yet to make such changes.

Its president Aminuddin Awang said any change in the school hours would affect schools with two sessions.

“We must also consider the teachers and students in the afternoon session. If the morning session is delayed, so will the afternoon session,” he told FMT.

Aminuddin said the issue of road congestion would not be solved just by changing the school hours.

“If the proposed school start time is delayed by 15 minutes, we are sure that some people will leave the house 15 minutes later than usual. As a result, the issue of road congestion on the way to school will not be solved.”

Yesterday, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia senior lecturer Anuar Ahmad urged the government to start classes at 8am instead of 7.30am in Peninsular Malaysia.

Anuar had said the government should be compassionate towards teachers, parents and students who had to wake up as early as 4.30am. “For those who go to school in the city, they would have to face traffic jams that start at 6am,” he said.

Aminuddin said everyone should instead focus on bigger issues such as the workload of teachers and the digitalisation of education. - FMT