Julia Lee, Writer

If you were to ask any student how many days a week they would want to spend at school, they would probably say zero. This is not possible, of course. However, there is an interesting case for reducing the number of school days in a week. 

If schools change their schedule to having four school days a week, with three days allocated for rest, students would feel more encouraged to actively participate in school and will have more time to study. Additionally, attendance for school days would likely improve, as well. For these reasons, a four-day school week is better for students than going to school five days a week.

By switching to a four-day school week with a three-day weekend, schools would encourage students to attend school more proactively. Five days of exams, classes, sports, and other extracurricular activities can be a lot for students to handle. Due to this, many students have a hard time exerting a hundred percent effort in everything they do and don’t get sufficient hours of sleep at night. If the number of school days was to be reduced to four, students would have more time to rest and avoid overworking themselves. By having just one more day of rest in a week, schools can prevent their students from tiring themselves out and burning out. Also, students would have more time to spend with their loved ones and pursue their non-academic passions. 

Having fewer days of school would not only benefit students’ mental states but can also improve their academic performance. With the extra day without school, in addition to rest, students can have more time to study. Students can use their new free day to review what they had learned, look into concepts they don’t understand, and teach themselves. For example, I, personally, have a hard time understanding math and science topics. The only way I could understand them was by taking notes, solving problems, and searching some educational videos explaining them simply— I needed extra time to understand the topics on my own. By having an additional weekend day, students can use this day to better process what they learned during the week.

Furthermore, by having fewer days of school, students’ attendance on school days would improve as well. Students typically miss school due to illness or other commitments, such as medical appointments or other arrangements that cannot be done on Saturday or Sunday. However, with a new free day, students may use this day to go to appointments that may cause them to miss school. As a result, school attendance during the school week may actually improve.

Some people may argue that having four days of school is not efficient because extending a few more hours of school can be tiresome and less concentrative. However, having an extra free day to study and relieve their stress will ultimately benefit students in the long run and prevent them from burning out.