Should the school hours shift to later in the day? This is an important question, especially for young learners who close at 12 noon because of COVID-19.
Columnist JohnPauls Eyiram shares another brilliant thought with us.
Should the school hours shift to later in the day?
JohnPauls writes…
Learning is most effective when the brain is in acquisition mode, generally between 10:00 am to 2:00 p.m. and then again from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Early school hours prevent many young learners and young teachers from getting the seven or so hours of sleep per night.
seven or so hours of sleep per night that most teenagers and young adults need is not attained.
The health, safety, and equity benefits to starting primary and high school, I think, should be in harmony with the sleep needs of students.
January 28, 2021, I had a personal experience; sleep paralysis. I stayed late to complete my homework and as I retired to bed.
I realized I was unable to move or speak.
It is an undeniable fact that adolescents or even adults going through such a terrible encounter will feel afraid to close their eyes again but to catch early school hours, I had to.
Delayed start time could help teens sleep during their natural sleep/wake cycles. Teens may be less likely to depend on caffeine to stay awake during the day.
Adequate sleep could help teens be more alert during the school day, which could boost their academic performance.
On the whole, I find that later school start times will increase my achievement in both math and reading.
I become more conscious after intermittent catnaps during early hours in class.
Therefore, delaying school start time can result in sustained benefits on sleep. Duration daytime, alertness, and mental well-being for young learners, even, within a culture where trading sleep for academic success is widespread.
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Columnist: JohnPauls Eyira
The Ghana Education News Editorial Team is a specialized collective of education researchers, journalists, and policy analysts dedicated to providing high-fidelity reporting on the Ghanaian academic landscape. Serving as a primary bridge between governing bodies—including the Ghana Education Service (GES) and WAEC—and the public, the team leverages over a decade of combined experience to serve students, parents, and educators nationwide.
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