West Java’s Early School Start Policy: A Controversial Move
West Java’s recent decision to mandate earlier school start times for all education levels has ignited a heated debate among educators, neuroscientists, parents, and policymakers. The new policy, set to take effect in mid-July, requires students from kindergarten through senior high school to begin classes at 6:30 a.m. The move, championed by Governor Dedi Mulyadi, is part of a broader initiative aimed at instilling discipline and curbing youth delinquency. However, mounting evidence from both local and international experts suggests that such early start times may do more harm than good, particularly when it comes to students’ brain development and overall well-being.
What Is Driving the Policy?
Governor Dedi Mulyadi’s administration has framed the early start policy as a means to foster a “Pancawulya generation”—a term rooted in Sundanese cultural wisdom, emphasizing five core values: kindness, health, righteousness, intelligence, and skillfulness. The policy is also intended to address social issues such as street brawls, gang activity, and online gaming addiction. Complementary measures include night curfews and even sending misbehaving students to military-style boot camps, both of which have drawn their own share of criticism from child development experts.
According to the official circular, the earlier start time is also meant to compensate for an additional weekly day off on Saturdays, aligning with government regulations. While the governor initially proposed a 6:00 a.m. start, the time was later adjusted to 6:30 a.m. The duration of the school day will vary by education level, with pre-schools requiring a minimum of 195 minutes per day and high schools up to 10 hours daily.
Expert Concerns: The Science of Sleep and Adolescent Brain Development
Despite the policy’s intentions, a chorus of educators and neuroscientists have raised alarms about its potential impact on students’ cognitive and emotional health. The core of their argument lies in the science of sleep and adolescent brain development.
Why Sleep Matters for Students
Sleep is not merely a period of rest; it is a critical process for brain development, memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and physical health. Adolescents, in particular, require 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. However, biological changes during puberty shift teenagers’ natural sleep cycles, making it difficult for them to fall asleep before 11 p.m. This phenomenon, known as a shift in circadian rhythms, means that early school start times can lead to chronic sleep deprivation among teens.
Trisa Triandesa, a neuroscience communicator, emphasizes the risks:
“This biological change makes it difficult for teens to fall asleep before 11 p.m. Forcing them to wake up early to go to school will only result in chronic sleep deprivation.”
She further notes that sleep deprivation can impair academic performance, mood, and mental health.
Satriwan Salim, national coordinator of the Association for Education and Teachers (P2G), echoes these concerns, arguing that the government should focus on improving the quality of the learning environment rather than adjusting school hours. He points out that many students in West Java live more than 10 kilometers from their schools, making early arrivals even more challenging, especially in areas with limited transportation infrastructure.
Neuroscientific Evidence: When Is the Brain Most Alert?
Recent research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides direct neural evidence supporting these concerns. Electroencephalogram (EEG) studies of high school students reveal that adolescents are least attentive early in the morning. Alpha brain activity, which is inversely related to attentiveness, is highest during early morning classes and decreases as the day progresses. Quiz scores and engagement are also highest during mid-morning classes, suggesting that this is the optimal time for learning.
These findings are consistent with a broader body of research indicating that sleep-restricted adolescents exhibit poorer cognitive performance, higher levels of sleepiness, and reduced memory retention in the early morning. The American Psychological Association (APA) further notes that later school start times are correlated with improved mood, better attendance, higher grades, and even fewer car accidents among youth.
International Comparisons: What Do Top-Performing Education Systems Do?
Countries with high-performing education systems have already embraced later school start times. In Finland, for example, classes typically begin around 9 a.m., contributing to lower stress levels and better student focus. South Korea, known for its rigorous academic environment, pushed back school start times from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. in 2015 to combat sleep deprivation and encourage family interaction in the mornings. Studies in Singapore and England have shown that delaying school start times by as little as 45 minutes can significantly improve students’ alertness, well-being, and academic performance.
Local Context: Implementation Challenges and Policy Scope
While the West Java government’s policy is sweeping in its ambition, its actual reach is more limited. According to the Indonesian Ombudsman, the new start times apply only to schools under the supervision of the province’s education agency, not to those managed by the Religious Affairs Ministry or local city and regency administrations. The Ombudsman also clarified that the circular is more of a notification than a regulation with enforceable sanctions, emphasizing the need for educational reforms to be grounded in reliable data and logical frameworks.
In response to criticism, the West Java Education Agency has issued technical directives aimed at optimizing the learning process, such as eliminating written homework for certain students and replacing it with reflective activities. However, these measures have not quelled concerns about the broader impact of the early start policy.
Contradictions and Unintended Consequences
One of the most pointed criticisms of the policy is its internal inconsistency. The early start time is intended to promote discipline and healthier routines, yet it directly contradicts the night curfew policy, which aims to encourage students to go to bed earlier. In practice, the combination of late bedtimes (due to biological and social factors) and early wake-up calls is likely to exacerbate sleep deprivation rather than alleviate it.
Ina Liem, an education observer and consultant, questions the effectiveness and necessity of the early start, calling it a “populist” move lacking urgency and a data-driven foundation. She argues that the more pressing issues in education are budget efficiency, school governance, and teaching quality—not start times. Liem supports the night curfew for fostering parental involvement but opposes the early start, which she believes does not foster genuine discipline.
Broader Implications: Public Health and Academic Outcomes
The debate over school start times is not unique to West Java. In the United States, more than 500 school districts have moved start times later in response to mounting evidence of the benefits. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high schools begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. California and Florida have even passed laws mandating later start times for secondary schools.
Research consistently shows that later start times lead to:
- Longer sleep duration for students
- Improved mood and socioemotional health
- Better cognitive and behavioral outcomes
- Higher academic performance and attendance
- Reduced rates of depression, substance use, and car accidents
These benefits extend beyond students. Teachers and parents also report improved sleep and daytime functioning when school schedules are adjusted to better align with natural sleep cycles.
Challenges to Change: Logistics and Resistance
Despite the evidence, changing established start times is often met with resistance. Concerns include transportation logistics, after-school activities, and the impact on family routines. In many cases, shifting secondary school start times later requires elementary schools to start earlier, which can be challenging for working parents. However, research suggests that younger children are better able to adapt to earlier schedules, as they do not experience the same biological pressures as adolescents.
Districts that have made the switch have found creative solutions, such as adjusting sports schedules and child-care offerings. Importantly, later start times have not been found to significantly interfere with teens’ participation in extracurricular activities or after-school jobs.
In Summary
- West Java’s new policy mandates a 6:30 a.m. school start for all education levels, aiming to instill discipline and curb youth delinquency.
- Experts warn that early start times can disrupt sleep patterns, impair brain development, and negatively affect academic performance, especially among adolescents.
- Scientific research shows that teenagers are biologically predisposed to later sleep and wake times, making early school starts particularly harmful.
- International best practices favor later start times, with evidence of improved student well-being and academic outcomes.
- The policy’s scope is limited to schools under the provincial education agency, and its enforcement is more advisory than mandatory.
- Critics argue that the policy is not data-driven and may contradict other initiatives, such as night curfews.
- Broader research supports later school start times as a public health measure benefiting students, teachers, and families.
