China has extended mandatory breaks between classes for primary and secondary school students from 10 minutes to 15 nationwide, as authorities seek to ease student stress and improve health. 

The reform, announced Feb. 27 by the Ministry of Education, also reiterated a requirement that students receive at least two hours of physical education daily, a rule first introduced in 2024 after reports that some schools were canceling PE classes or manipulating timetables to prioritize academics. 

Primary and secondary students typically attend classes from around 8 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m., with seven or eight lessons a day. While 10-minute breaks have long been standard, many have complained that short intervals, often cut further when classes run late, leave little time to rest. 

Several provinces had piloted 15-minute breaks in recent years, but the new directive marks the first nationwide mandate. 

The policy is part of broader efforts to address rising rates of childhood obesity, vision problems, and mental health concerns. Authorities have also stressed the importance of developing youth sports talent.

The new rules warn schools not to cancel PE classes or replace them with academic lessons, a practice that has persisted despite previous reforms. In a 2021 survey by state-run Beijing News, nearly half of respondents said their children’s PE classes had been cancelled or replaced by other subjects.

Universities are also encouraged to expand PE course offerings and require college juniors and above to participate in PE classes at least three times a week.

Local education authorities will be tasked with monitoring compliance, though specific penalties are yet to be detailed. 

Editor: Marianne Gunnarsson.

(Header image: VCG)