Consider extending school hours to improve learning outcomes

IT was encouraging to hear Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek say that her ministry aims to complete the transition to single-session schools by 2030 with only about 1,000 schools still operating with dual sessions, “Single-session system set for all schools by 2030” (The Star, Feb 7; online at bit.ly/star_singlesession).

I am writing to urge the government to not only ensure the urgent implementation of single-session schools but to also plan ahead to increase schooling hours to accommodate STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects.