VietNamNet Bridge – High school students in Hanoi will finish school one hour earlier than normal from Monday onwards, according to a decision by the local People’s Committee.

In this photo, students at Kim Lien High School in Dong Da District, Hanoi leave school at 7:00 pm when it already gets dark. (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

This schedule change follows recent public complaints that 7:00 pm was not a convenient time for parents and students. Many parents, who finish work around 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm, complained they had to wait for so long before picking up their children at school, whereas many students grumbled they already arrived home around 10:00 pm, after attending extra evening courses.

Still, many high schools have urged the committee to let students go home much earlier.

One high school principal said it would still be difficult for teachers who live away from school to get home at the new hour.

Others worried that safety would probably an issue for those suburban students who have to go home alone late, when roads are mostly empty.

The committee has also asked the municipal Department of Education and Training to flexibly stagger the operating hours of kindergartens and elementary and middle schools in a way that is more convenient for parents and students.

Hanoi started adjusting school and office hours early this month to combat traffic congestion, which has worsened in recent years.

It has witnessed modest improvements in traffic jams, but faced much protest and chaos because local people have been wrestling to change their daily routines to adapt to the new timings.

VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre