MOST primary school pupils are leading a very hectic life.

They study four subjects from Primary 3, and they go for supplementary or remedial lessons every week.

They also have projects to complete and co-curricular activities (CCAs) to attend.

My son is in Primary 3 this year, and I finally understand why one of my friends gets to see her son, who is in Primary 5, only after 4.30pm on weekdays.

Another friend says that his son spends nearly 11 hours in school on certain days, from 8am to 6.30pm.

When the child reaches home, he has time and energy only to bathe, eat his dinner, do his homework and then go to bed.

For many children, weekends are also spent doing worksheets from the school.

With classes, supplementary lessons, projects and CCAs, there is hardly any time left for the children to pursue other interests, hobbies or simply spend more time with their families.

It seems that these days, school children are busier than their parents - most parents do not even take their work home.

The Health Promotion Board has been encouraging our children to spend more time performing outdoor activities as a way of preventing myopia, but our kids are spending excessive time on near work such as reading, writing and using the computer.

Since the Ministry of Education is trying to lighten the workload of our teachers, why not cut down unnecessary lessons outside school hours?

This would help lighten the workload of the teachers as well as give the children more free time.

Could MOE step in with some guidelines to reduce the extra lessons?

I am worried that overloading our children with homework may have an undesirable impact on them.

Mrs Linda Chan Aik Hoon