In a groundbreaking move, students in Shenzhen have unlocked the potential of lying down for afternoon naps, thanks to the implementation of China’s first local standard for primary and middle school nap equipment. The newly enforced Regulation on the Equipment and Facilities for Primary and Middle School Nap Areas (hereinafter referred to as Regulation) has set the stage for a revolution in the way students take their afternoon rest.
The Regulation, which came into effect in September, outlines standardized requirements for the safety, environmental performance, and comfort of nap equipment such as mattresses, sleeping bags, desks, and foldable beds. It represents a significant step towards improving the quality of afternoon naps for students across the nation.
One school leading the way in this initiative is the Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Affiliated School in Guangming District, Shenzhen. The school has installed long rows of storage cabinets in front of three walls of each classroom. After lunch, students can easily pull out beds from the storage and retrieve blankets, pillows, and eye masks from drawers, transforming their classrooms into makeshift nap rooms.
Similarly, students at Shenzhen High School Longgang District have access to instant lying down naps. The school has ingeniously repurposed the space between the front and back seats of the desks, creating a headrest by tightly fitting the front desks into the holes of the back desks. The back row of desks are also elevated with adjustable backrests, allowing them to be used independently.
The Regulation not only covers technical requirements for harmful substance limits, specifications, and appearance quality of nap equipment but also aims to comprehensively regulate the market of nap equipment and facilities. This ensures that schools only use products that are free from safety hazards, thereby enhancing the environment and quality of students’ afternoon naps.
Furthermore, the Regulation encourages schools to adopt a one policy for one school (one policy for one class) approach, tailoring nap equipment and facilities to meet the actual needs of students for healthy growth. According to reports, 50 schools have already achieved their set goals in the first quarter of this year.
This year, Shenzhen has set a goal to promote the implementation of comfortable lying down naps for all in-school afternoon nap students in 200 primary and middle schools at the compulsory education stage (including branches), reflecting the city’s commitment to improving the well-being of its youth.
The move by Shenzhen to implement these new standards comes at a time when the importance of adequate rest during the school day is increasingly recognized. Afternoon naps have been shown to improve cognitive function, memory, and overall learning performance among students.
The national implementation of such standards could serve as a blueprint for other cities and provinces in China, potentially leading to a nationwide improvement in the quality of education and student well-being.
In conclusion, Shenzhen’s innovative approach to afternoon naps and the introduction of the first local standard for nap equipment represent a significant step towards ensuring that students receive the rest they need to thrive academically and personally. As more schools adopt these standards, the hope is that students across China will benefit from improved afternoon naps and, in turn, from a more effective and fulfilling education.
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