XI'AN: Pupils in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, will enjoy longer sleep after the week-long international Labour Day vacation.

According to an announcement issued by the Xi'an Education Bureau on Sunday, all the primary and middle schools in the city will implement the new schedule from May 8 8:00 am for primary school pupils and 7:40-8:00 am for middle school students.

Schools that do not carry out the new move will be punished by the local educational authority.

Supervision groups will be sent to local schools to ensure the implementation of the measure, according to a government document.

It is the first time that the local educational authority has made such rigid requirements on going-to-school times for primary and middle school students, and Xi'an is one of the few pioneer cities, Zhang Jianguo, director of Xi'an Education Bureau, told China Daily yesterday.

"The measures we made for our 1.16 million pupils is to show our determination of relieving the burden on the children," Zhang said.

In the government document the local educational authority also requires the reduction of some homework and new measures to ensure at least 1 hour every day for physical exercises be taken in schools.

Earlier, the Xi'an Education Bureau issued a document which has required schools postpone the morning schooling time from 7:00-7:20 am to 7:50-8:10 am for primary pupils and from 6:50 -7:10 am to 7:40 - 8:00 am for middle school students.

However, the suggestion has gone largely ignored, with almost all schools starting their first morning class before 7:30, Zhang said.

"So we think it is necessary to make our messages clear and loud," Zhang said.

Tang Yue, a 9-year-old student in Xi'an Dayanta Primary School, is among those who held his thumb up for the initiative.

"I can sleep longer and do not have to go to school when the sky is still dark," said the little girl.

The new rules have drawn support from some teachers. Tang Yue's teacher Wen Xijuan said the measure would also give some rest time for the teachers in the morning.

Wen said her pupils could be more energetic and concentrated in class if they have longer sleep.

Wang Guoqi, expert on family education, said the examination system should be further reformed which can really help unload the burden on the children.

(China Daily 04/25/2006 page3)