The School Hours in China Offer a Peek into the Unforgiving School System Most Chinese Students Endure Its education-focused nation, with school days that are designed to allow for as much learning and growth as possible. Click here for a closer look at the daily schedule of a Chinese school and how it affects both students and educational outcomes.
Elementary and Middle Schools
Time: around 8-9 hours a day
In China, what time do the elementary and middle school students usually go to school in the morning and get out of school? It includes different blocks of core subjects like Mother tongue (Chinese Language), Mathematics, Science and English. Moreover, time for physical education, arts and music classes too are spared with holistic development for an all-round student.
We have lunch breaks and recesses allotted through the course of the day to encourage student relaxation and social interaction. Between these breaks, the school day is long and stressful, hours at home are often devoted to homework, and many students' parents pay tutors for after-school study, reflecting China's cut-throat education system.
High Schools
High School Students Extended Hours
Chinese high school students have longer days, often starting as early but ending late into the evening. They can go to school as late as 5:00-6:00 PM, and are required to stay in their rooms for study time right after dinner. Up until as recently as last year, these extremely long hours can be attributed in part to the immense pressure for preparing for the Gaokao, a national college admission test in China that is incredibly competitive and often dictates a student's future.
Saturday &Sunday Classes and Study Hours
Commitment Beyond Weekdays
In China, students from middle school level on have to attend schools or study classes at the weekends( in geography like Guangzhou or Shenzhen). In addition, students rely on these sessions to get ready for key examinations. Weekends generally revolve around revisiting the portions and getting expert in learning the parts required to pass/play exam.
Regional variations and school-based variations
Individual school hours are quite diverse though the example schedules mentioned above are probable. Urban areas have slightly longer school days than rural regions, and private schools may design unique schedules that do not mimic those traditional public schools.
Effects on Students and Academic Performance
Chinese students receive long hours of schooling, and they accordingly do very well on international assessments like the PISA tests. But this emphasis on education is also a double-edged sword as it leads to worry about student pressure and the need for work-life balance.
For details of what it's like to attend school in China -- from how long the days are to their effects on kids -- read our full guide: how long are Chinese school hours.
In China, a typical school day is organized in a way that ensures that students get an extensive foundation in all categories of everything or to prepare them for aggressive exams, as well as future work options. But at the same time, it is a strict plan that once again shows the cultural value that China gives to education and the high standards expected from students.