BY:Mumtaz Sindhi
Lecturer,Mirpurkhas College, Educational Researcher, Columnist:
(Published by ANI )
Education is the fundamental guarantee of a society’s progress. A strong education system produces an aware, responsible, and capable generation. It is the government’s responsibility to take effective measures to improve discipline, punctuality, and the quality of teaching in educational institutions. However, before making changes to any educational policy, it is equally important to consider its practical effects, ground realities, and the needs of students and teachers. The Sindh government’s decision to set school and college hours from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., from primary schools to colleges, has raised several questions in this regard.
Undoubtedly, punctuality in educational institutions is important, but simply increasing school hours cannot guarantee better educational standards. This decision does not affect only schools and colleges; it is directly connected with the daily lives of millions of students, teachers, and parents. Conditions in urban and rural areas of Sindh are not the same. Some students and teachers attend institutions close to their homes, while many others have to travel several kilometres every day. In such circumstances, a 2:30 p.m. closing time may mean that considerable additional time is spent travelling back home.
In major cities, traffic congestion makes the situation even more difficult. If a student or teacher takes one to two hours to reach home, the educational routine that begins in the morning can consume almost the entire day. After returning home, students need time to eat, rest, complete their homework, and, in many cases, attend tuition classes or religious schools. They also need time for play, reading, family interaction, and adequate rest. If this balance is disturbed, a child’s overall health and interest in education may be affected.
Better education for children does not depend simply on spending more time in the classroom. Adequate sleep, a balanced diet, physical activity, and mental well-being are also essential parts of the learning process. Spending several consecutive hours in educational activities followed by a long journey home can cause physical fatigue among some students. Fatigue directly affects concentration and the ability to learn. If children face the same routine every day, they may gradually develop disinterest, irritability, and a tendency to lose interest in education.
The issue of students’ nutrition also cannot be ignored. The economic and household circumstances of every family are not the same. Many children arrive at school without having a proper breakfast, while some parents find it difficult to prepare a lunch box every day. This becomes an additional responsibility, particularly in families where both parents are employed. When school hours are extended, the absence of adequate food and clean drinking water can affect students’ health as well as their academic performance.
The situation also deserves special consideration for women teachers. A large number of women teachers perform their teaching duties in schools and colleges across Sindh. Many of them manage household and childcare responsibilities alongside their professional duties. If a woman teacher leaves her institution at 2:30 p.m. and takes an hour or an hour and a half to reach home, she may arrive in the late afternoon. She then has to prepare meals, look after her children, and manage other household responsibilities. This can become difficult and may create additional mental pressure. Such realities should be taken into account when educational policies are formulated.
Male teachers also have various family responsibilities. Many teachers have to pick up their children from school, manage household matters, or travel long distances to reach their institutions every day. Extending working hours can reduce the time available for rest and family life. A teacher’s physical and mental condition also affects teaching performance. Therefore, instead of simply keeping teachers in institutions for longer periods, attention should be given to how they can deliver more effective teaching within the available time.
The fundamental question, therefore, is whether spending more time at school necessarily leads to better education. Educational quality does not depend solely on working hours. It is also linked to the quality of teaching, teacher training, curriculum, classroom environment, students’ interest, educational facilities, and the overall management system. If additional hours are spent on routine activities rather than meaningful educational engagement, the desired results may not be achieved.
The government should also address the basic problems of schools alongside educational timings. Many institutions in Sindh still lack adequate access to clean drinking water, proper washrooms, electricity, furniture, libraries, science laboratories, and modern teaching resources. If school hours are increased without addressing these fundamental issues, it will be difficult to bring about a significant improvement in educational standards.
Similarly, the conditions of different regions of Sindh should be taken into account when developing educational policies. Limited transport facilities in remote areas, traffic congestion in cities, extreme weather conditions, and the distance between homes and educational institutions create different challenges. Instead of applying exactly the same approach throughout the province, a system that takes local conditions into account may prove more practical and effective.
If the government considers longer educational hours necessary for improving education, their effects should be properly evaluated. Consultation with teachers, students, parents, and education experts can help determine the actual benefits and difficulties associated with the new timings. A policy can succeed only when it is implemented after considering ground realities and the needs of all relevant stakeholders.
Ultimately, the purpose of education is not to keep children in schools for longer periods but to develop them into better human beings, responsible citizens, and capable individuals. For this purpose, a balanced educational system is essential one in which the quality of teaching is high, students receive a supportive learning environment, teachers perform their duties with peace of mind, and parents find the system practical and manageable.
For the educational future of Sindh, it is essential that decisions are not made merely by looking at the hands of the clock. We must also consider what children are learning during these additional hours, how their health is being affected, and how much time remains for rest, study, and family life after they return home. Educational success is not achieved through longer hours alone; it is achieved through the effective use of better time and better teaching.
