All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. To gain goals in life, it is necessary to work hard. But only concentrating on work and not finding time for leisure makes a person dull and unsociable. Chinese students work for longer hours than any other state, making them slow and sleepy even in classrooms and ultimately reducing their concentration levels. In this article, we shall see how much homework Chinese students get?
The Chinese students spend 2.82 hours per day completing their school work. This shows, on average, that they spend 13.8 hours per week, which is more than the OECD’s average of 1.2 hours per day. This average is three times that of the international levels. The workload also negatively impacts students and their parents, discussed below in detail.
Homework of Chinese students
According to the Chinese online education system, Chinese primary and elementary students spend more than 3 hours completing their assignments. According to a report conducted by Afanti, students spend 10,080 hours on average before 18 years of age. This average equates to the time spent on 7000 soccer matches and 4032 concerts.
71.9% of students spend more time on mathematics since it is considered the toughest of all subjects. 49.3% answered that they feel frustrated with their homework, and 20% answered that they sometimes wanted to tear up their books.
A balanced scheme of work and play is the most effective way to keep the mind in its perfect trim shape. Moreover, a relaxed mind is a rejuvenated one. This is very important in the case of students. They should be given proper time for relaxation and recreation; they will not be made dull Jacks.
Comparison of workload with the US
Chinese students spend 9.8 hours learning in the classroom. Apart from this time they spend in school, they also spend more time completing their homework. The average that Chinese students spend on learning is far more than that of the US, Korea, and Japan.
The National Center for Education Statistics formulated that elementary students get 4.7 hours, whereas high school students get 6.8 hours of homework per week. It also developed that Chinese students get 13.8 hours of work per week.
Suffering of students
The longer hours of learning spent at school and later at home have affected the students in many ways:
- They bear a heavy academic burden.
- They spend more than 2 hours doing their homework.
- Their sleeping hours are also affected.
- Most students aged 6-17 years do not get 8 hours of sleep.
- They also suffer from mental health problems.
- Almost 85% of Chinese students suffer from homework stress and frustration.
Suffering of parents
The proverb states, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” But in the case of China, this is a bit different; it can be said that “All work and no play makes both Jack and his parents dull.” The workload that the students get also affects the parents.
- The parents became the victims of their children’s heavy homework.
- Parents have to do their responsibilities and check for the assigned homework for their children.
- Parents may be lacking in having background knowledge.
- Parents may not be knowledgeable enough to assist their children, so they first learn the lessons themselves to assist their children.
- Parents may not be finding enough time to help their children going through their studies.
Law and Legislation
National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the country’s permanent legislative body, has passed a law regarding the excessive burden and pressure of homework on students. It also aims to promote extra-curricular activities.
How many days do Chinese students go to school per week?
The Chinese Students go to school 4-5 days per week. The timings for their schooling are from 7 am to about 4 pm or later. Other than this, many schools hold Saturday morning classes for science and math.
How much time do students spend on homework in college?
In the National Survey of Student Engagement, only about 10–13 hours per week, or less than two hours a day, are spent studying by most college students. Less than one in ten high school pupils devotes over 25 hours each week to their studies.
Conclusion
So, it can be concluded that the burdensome nature of Chinese schooling has long been a concern, and it may take a long time to find a solution. The Government, schools, and parents have all acted with good intentions, but the initiatives haven’t always gone according to plan.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How many hours do Chinese students sleep?
A: The report conducted by Afanti shows that the sleep of Chinese students decreases by 8 hours per day when they reach 12 years of age. After getting evidence that students are sleep-driven, the Chinese Government is focusing on this point.
Q: Do Chinese study too much?
A: Chinese students spend three times as much time doing their homework as the students in France, four times compared to Japan, and six times compared to Russia.
Q: Do Chinese students sleep at school?
A: The Ministry of Education has called upon schools to find solutions for ensuring that the students get enough sleep. So, China has included students’ sleep hours in school evaluations to overcome sleep deprivation among students.
