Latin America's early school start times spark student health concerns
In many parts of Latin America, children face extremely early school start times, often at 6 or 7 am, requiring them to wake up before dawn.
This practice is common in countries like Colombia and Ecuador, where schools begin as early as 6:00 am, and others like Brazil and Guatemala, which have start times around 7:00 am.
While early school schedules are meant to optimise the day, they come at a cost to children's sleep and overall well-being. Experts warn that such early start times can disrupt natural sleep patterns, especially for adolescents who need more rest during their development.
Sleep deprivation can lead to problems with concentration, mood, and physical health, making it harder for students to thrive in the classroom.
In contrast, some countries like Uruguay start school as late as 10:00 am, offering a model that allows children to sleep more and arrive at school well-rested. The varying start times across Latin America reflect different educational policies, but there's growing debate over whether such early mornings are truly in the best interest of students' health and learning outcomes.
Balancing educational needs with the well-being of students is a critical issue, and some regions are exploring later school start times to better align with the natural sleep cycles of children and teens, allowing them to grow, learn, and thrive.
