Wake up at 4, classes at 5:30: Indonesia’s ‘zombie’ school routine sparks outcry

As part of an experimental project, class 12 students in Indonesia’s Kupang are being made to go to school at 5:30 am, sparking anger among parents.

High school students gather for the roll call on campus early in the morning in Kupang, Indonesia (AFP photo)

By India Today World Desk: Waking up early in the morning can be an ordeal for most teenagers. Now, imagine rising before the crack of dawn to attend school at 5:30 am. Horrified? This is the living nightmare that many schoolchildren in Indonesia are going through.

Class 12 students at 10 high schools in Indonesia’s Kupang are part of an experimental project to get the day off to a much earlier start. Schools in the southeast Asian country usually start between 7 and 8 am but under this scheme, pupils must report for classes at 5:30 am.

The controversial experiment was announced last month by the province’s governor to make children more disciplined, according to a report in the Guardian.

AFP reported that sleepy students can be seen reluctantly “trudging zombie-like” through the darkened streets every morning to make it on time for school. Parents have criticised the scheme, saying children are exhausted by the time they get home.

Other parents have raised safety concerns, saying it is dangerous, especially for girl students, to go out when it is dark and quiet.

Indonesian news outlet Kompas reported that the Indonesian Ombudsman has asked the central government to intervene in the trial, which has been running since February.

The Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission have also voiced calls for a review of the policy, according to the Kompas report.