The Department of School Education and Literacy, Karnataka is likely to revise the school timings across Bengaluru following a suggestion from the Karnataka High Court.
The department will hold a meeting tomorrow, October 5 to discuss the revision in school timings, reported Times of India. The move is an attempt to address Bengaluru’s traffic woes. At present most schools commence at 8.30 am, but the department is likely to advance the timings by 30 minutes to one hour. By shifting the school timings to an earlier time, the department is aiming to decongest the roads in the city.
School managements, private transporters, and parents are however skeptical about the move and said the revision in school timings may lead to worsening of the physical and mental well-being of children as well as parents. Instead of changing school timings, parents, schools and other stakeholders suggested deploying more police personnel at major traffic junctions near schools to help decongest the roads, the report added.
Shashi Kumar D, general secretary of the Associated Management of Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) said that any changes in school timings are likely to make things worse for parents and children. Usually, daily routines at households start around 4.30 am but with a change in the timings, parents might have to cut short of their sleep time which may lead to the deterioration of their physical and mental health.
Kumar also stated that not just parents or children, but even other stakeholders including school management, teaching, and non-teaching staff will also face inconvenience if the school timings are revised. Teachers and other management at schools will also have to start early just like parents which will put them under tremendous pressure. Teachers and other staff members would be required to reach schools before students which would create inconvenience for them and may impact their physical and mental health.
