Schools’ autonomy to adopt a later school start time

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Yip Hon Weng, Yio Chu Kang SMC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) how many schools currently practice their autonomy to adopt a later school start time, after 7.30a.m.; and (b) how does the Ministry encourage or facilitate schools to practise their autonomy to adopt a later school start time.

Response

1. Currently, all schools start no earlier than 7.30a.m. Around one out of seven primary schools, around half of secondary schools and most Junior Colleges start after 7.30a.m. on at least three days per week.

2. Schools consider various factors when deciding on their start time. These include student profiles, after-school and inter-school programmes, transport provisions and local transport situation. MOE thus gives schools the autonomy to start at either 7.30a.m. or later.