TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Starting from Aug. 1, senior high school students in Taiwan will be allowed to arrive at school at around 8 a.m. or before the first class starts four days a week, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced in a press release on Monday (March 7).

According to the MOE, members of the public proposed on the government-organized online public policy participation platform in December 2020 that school hours for junior and senior high school students should be shortened to between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. After holding several public hearings, expert meetings, and meetings with local education authorities to gather different opinions, the MOE announced updated hours for senior high schools.

The policy also cuts the number of school assemblies per week from two to one. On the mornings of the other four days, senior high school students will be allowed to plan for their own activities and arrive at school before the first class, which typically begins around 8 a.m. The new measures will come into effect on Aug. 1.