Chinese schools better equipped for students' midday nap in new semester

BEIJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Just days ahead of the 2024 fall semester, Beitanghe Primary School in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, had completed preparing a surprise for its students.

When arriving back at school, students found their usual desks and chairs replaced by multi-functional desk-chair combos that can be converted into makeshift beds by pulling a few levers. During the summer vacation, such combos were installed in all 16 classes of the school's two grades.

According to the school's vice headmaster Xu Jiaoxiang, since the school opened in 2023, many parents have made inquiries as to whether students could lie on their backs when taking midday naps. This is a common concern shared by many parents who expect their children to rest effectively during non-class hours.

The school has also drafted a timetable allowing for a midday nap. From 12:10 to 12:55, all students have the opportunity to enjoy a nap of at least 30 minutes.

With the help of these measures, students can better recharge their batteries at noon and be ready for school activities in the afternoon, said Xu.

In Binjiang District, where the school is located, the local education authority has paid much attention to the students' need to rest. To better address this need, a total of 13 schools were chosen as trial locations for the use of convertible desk-chair combos.

Introducing facilities that allow students to lie down at noon has now become a common practice among primary and secondary schools in China. As in the case of Beitanghe Primary School, schools in Beilun District of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, have also been equipped with the aforementioned desk-chair combos.

According to Li Haida, head of the district's department of education, over 10,000 desk-chair combos have been installed in schools in the district.

Ensuring that students can enjoy midday naps and rest comfortably when doing so, is one of the objectives of China's bid to ease the burden placed on students. In a document concerning facilitation of sleep management for primary and secondary school students released in 2021, China's Ministry of Education had urged such schools and relevant local authorities to create conditions allowing students the opportunity for an effective midday nap.

Previously, due to being unable to lie down when napping, many students ended up dozing off on their desks. Medical experts have pointed out that such a napping position can cause spine deformation and other health problems.

For schools that started early in ensuring students' nap at noon, the positive effects are plain to see.

In south China's Guangdong Province, Guangzhou No.5 Middle School has been exploring ways for students to rest comfortably at noon since more than a decade ago. Today, when nap time comes, students can be seen adjusting desks and rolling out nap mats in an orderly fashion, resulting in them being ready for a nap in less than 10 minutes.

This practice of letting students prepare for a nap by themselves is helpful in cultivating their awareness of self-management, said Qiu Zhijian, headmaster of the school.

Nevertheless, because of varied conditions in schools, many teachers also noted that there shouldn't be a one-size-fits-all method to ensure students' nap. Instead, solutions ought to be tailored in accordance with each school's conditions.

They also emphasized that ensuring students' sleep time and the quality of their sleep should not be separated from other education reform measures aimed at relieving student burdens. The development of students' physical and mental health must be facilitated by the joint efforts of schools, families and society.