However, despite all these challenges it was clear from the discussion that the academic performance of the double‐shift pupils was as good as those in single shift. Bray (2000, p. 42) agrees with these findings when he studies suggest that says, “the the academic achievement of children in double‐shift systems is often just as high as that of children in single shift systems.’’ Bray (2000) is justifying this situation by stressing two points in favor of the double‐shift schooling. The first one is the fact that the introduction of double‐shifts may permit reduction in class size and therefore allows a more personalized and individualized teaching approach. Secondly, double‐shift schools are reasonably larger and therefore find it easier to justify expenditure on sports facilities, libraries and laboratories. Bray (2000, p. 50) attributes the poor performance in double‐shift schools rather to socio‐cultural factors than to the number of shifts in a school. The Effects on Curricula and Duration of Instructional Time All six head teachers are of the opinion that the afternoon session is losing out on instructional time. Some of the head teachers had to cut back on the teaching time of the afternoon session in order to cover the curriculum. The experience of the afternoon session is that one cannot fit the entire curriculum into the time allocation in a way that can benefit the Pupils and the teachers. The table in Chapter Two is an outline of official data on primary school teaching time in thirteen countries. According to Bray (2000, p. 44) the table shows seven
However, despite all these challenges it was clear from the discussion that the academic performance of the double‐shift pupils was as good as those in single shift. Bray (2000, p. 42) agrees with these findings when he says, “the studies suggest that the academic achievement of children in double‐shift systems is often just as high as that of children in single shift systems.’’ Bray (2000) is justifying this situation by stressing two points in favor of the double‐shift schooling. The first one is the fact that the introduction of double‐shifts may permit reduction in class size and therefore allows a more personalized and individualized teaching approach. Secondly, double‐shift schools are reasonably larger and therefore find it easier to justify expenditure on sports facilities, libraries and laboratories. Bray (2000, p. 50) attributes the poor performance in double‐shift schools rather to socio‐cultural factors than to the number of shifts in a school. The Effects on Curricula and Duration of Instructional Time All six head teachers are of the opinion that the afternoon session is losing out on instructional time. Some of the head teachers had to cut back on the teaching time of the afternoon session in order to cover the curriculum. The experience of the afternoon session is that one cannot fit the entire curriculum into the time allocation in a way that can benefit the Pupils and the teachers. The table in Chapter Two is an outline of official data on primary school teaching time in thirteen countries. According to Bray (2000, p. 44) the table shows seven