Students in Longzheng Elementary School in Nantong, Jiangsu Province participate in exercises during the recess on May 15, 2023. Photo: VCG

In the past few days, the "disappearing" recess between classes has become a widely discussed topic on Chinese social media. A teacher from North China's Shanxi Province posted a video on social media showing that most students do not leave the classroom during recess. Even during the 25-minute "big recess" between classes, there are hardly any students on the playground. The teacher described the students as being "caged."

This video has resonated with many teachers, parents and students. Many parents mentioned that their children's schools also have a similar situation. Some students explained that the recess is already short, and with teachers often delaying classes or starting classes early, they even have to rush to the restroom. Some adults sympathize with these children and recalled their own joyful break times during childhood.

In the public online government message board, some parents from Northwest China's Xinjiang, Central China's Henan, South China's Guangxi, and other provinces and regions mentioned that their children's schools restrict students from leaving the classroom during recess. According to media reports, some schools even have teachers patrolling to prevent unnecessary activities during break times.

According to the local governments' responses, some schools have held meetings to emphasize the importance of allowing students to freely engage in activities on the playground during recesses. Others responded that the 10-minute recess is relatively short, and students should mainly use it for drinking water or using the restroom, and they did not recommend that students should engage in intense physical activities such as running.

Jiang Lei, a parent of a junior high school student in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, told the Global Times on Wednesday that students' activities during recesses have never been strictly restricted, but due to class delays and heavy academic pressure, few students can enjoy a relaxing and complete break time.

Due to long periods of sitting in the classroom and the heavy academic pressure, many children now appear to be unhealthy, he said. "It seems like children have lost the kind of happiness we used to have."

"Many teachers have the habit of delaying classes. In higher grades, many physical education classes are replaced by language, math, and other subjects," he said. "Many parents, including myself, hope that this phenomenon can change and children can be allowed to go out during recesses."

A senior teacher surnamed Wang from a middle school in Beijing told the Global Times that similar situations also exist in some schools in Beijing.

"Some schools tell students that they should not leave the classroom during recess unless they need to use the restroom," she said. "I think this situation is related to the school management's fear of taking responsibility. They are concerned about safety issues when students move around a lot."

"Many parents are dissatisfied with this situation," Wang said. "Some parents even reported this issue to the citizen hotline."

Nonetheless, this phenomenon does not seem to be very common in Beijing schools. Duan Jiayi, a student in Grade 6 at another primary school in Beijing, told the Global Times that she has never been restricted from freely engaging in activities during recesses, and the occurrence of delayed classes is also rare. Duan said that her friends who attend other schools have not encountered similar situations either.

A number of parents from East China's Shanghai and Zhejiang also mentioned that their children's schools do not have such restrictions. However, there are cases where teachers delay classes, occupying break times.

A parent surnamed Yu told the Global Times that although her son's school does not restrict students' activities after class, very few students go outside due to the long distance between the classroom and the playground. Many students even prefer to stay in the classroom and do after-class homework instead of taking a break.

The Regulations on the Protection of Minors in Schools passed by the Ministry of Education in May 2021 clearly state that schools should not implement management measures that infringe on students' personal freedom, including unnecessary restrictions on students leaving the classroom during break time. Later, the Ministry of Education also issued a notice specifically on strengthening the management of students' physical health in primary and secondary schools, which stated, "During each break, students should go out of the classroom for appropriate activities and relaxation." However, this issue is still quite common in schools in some provinces.

Although break time is just 10 minutes, its significance should not be overlooked. Utilizing these 10 minutes for outdoor activities not only aids students in physical and mental relaxation but also plays a role in preventing and addressing issues such as myopia. It also achieves a balance between work and rest, enhancing learning efficiency. Depriving students of the right to freely engage in activities during these 10 minutes not only suppresses their active nature but also easily leads to fatigue in learning, and the negative impact should not be underestimated, according to an editorial published by China Youth Daily.

China Youth Daily pointed out that the root of the problem lies in safety risks and the resulting disputes, which frequently create challenges for schools.

According to media reports, in 29 cases of campus personal injury cases heard by a local court in the past few years, 91 percent occurred during break time or after school, and 86 percent occurred on the playground and in classrooms. Based on the judgment results, in 50 percent of the cases, schools were held responsible for over 30 percent of the liability. The primary reason cited was "inadequate education and management by the school, failure to eliminate safety hazards, and a lack of timely assistance."

"Teachers and parents should be more aware of the importance of recess activities and understand that it is impossible to completely eliminate campus safety risks," said Wang, the senior teacher in Beijing. "The 10 minutes of recess should be fully given back to the students."

Analysts highlighted that returning break time to students reflects educational principles and responsibilities, while also testing the capacity of parents, schools, and society to cooperate in the education of children.