Double shift schools operate two separate shifts in a single school building to increase access to education. In the morning shift, one group of students attends classes while the second group attends in the afternoon or evening. This allows more students to be served using existing school facilities and resources. However, double shifting can reduce class time and limit extracurricular activities. Education authorities must balance factors like cost-effectiveness, quality of education, and political acceptability when implementing double shift schools.

1. School
Management
(Double Shifts)

2. • In a Double shift school, one group of students reports to
school in the morning for a full load of classes. Another group
of students reports in the late afternoon or evening for a full
load of classes. Some countries, according to UNESCO, have
students report on alternate days for a full day as well. In some
countries, girls attend class in the morning, and boys attend in
the afternoon. Most double shift schools that operate two
shifts each day have a 20- to 30-minute break in the middle of
the day so students can leave or arrive for their classes. There
are double shift schools that incorporate remediation,
guidance and extracurricular activities into each session.

3.  Double shift school is a type of school which
operates in two shifts, with one group of
students in the building early in the day and a
second group of students later in the day.
 Definition 1 single set of facilities catering
for 2 entirely separate groups of pupils during
a school day (taught by same or different
teachers)

4. • Double shift schools have been used in the United States since
the early 20th century. The use of double shift schools began
to emerge with the Great Depression, when districts crippled
by the economic downturn could not afford to build new
schools. Double shift schools also allowed some students to
work on the farm or at a job before attending school for part
of the day. Double shift schools also have a history of
segregation in many areas of the U.S. According to the
encyclopedia of Chicago, many Chicago schools in black
neighborhoods were on double shifts, while schools in white
neighborhood were not.

5.  End-on shift :1 morning shift, 1 afternoon shift
 Overlapping shifts (more complex but maximum use of facilities)
 Different or shared teachers
 One set of buildings for 2 levels of education
 Urban and rural systems (urban: efficient use of expensive land,
enough pupils to run 2 shifts; rural: alleviates teacher shortages)
 Daily, weekly and monthly rotation (uncommon)
 Classes for both children and adults
 Borrowing and renting school premises

6.  The main purpose of 2nd shift school is to increase the supply of
school places while limiting strain on budget. Introduction of
2nd shift schools allows a single set of buildings and facilities to
server more pupils. This may be especially important in urban
areas, where land is scarce and buildings are expensive. The 2nd
shift schooling may also have subsidiary functions.
 Expansion of the number of 2nd shift schools broadens access.
This helps government to achieve goals of social equity. In many
societies, the children are too poor to spend the whole day in
the school. They cannot afford the School fees, and they cannot
afford to lose the incomes they could get from the working.

7.  One of the main reasons for moving to a second shift arrangement
is the promising savings from not having to construct more schools
to provide accommodation for increased numbers of pupils.
 Some of these schools are money-making machines whereby the
school runs a double-shift and then it turns in to a tuition-centre in
the late evening. While it becomes a goldmine for the owner, it is
like subverting the mission of education to promote business. As
such schools enroll children of the 'influential' and, as the owners
roll in wealth, the Government departments are obliged to look the
other way at all kinds of violations of law/ rules.

8.  According to the World Bank, double shift schools in
developing countries allow those students who want to finish
school a chance to attend in the evenings while working full-
time during the day. Double shift schools also reduce
overcrowding and allow for maximum use of resources.
Teachers in double shift schools may obtain higher salaries,
which can be important in countries where teacher wages are
low. Finally, double shift schools allow greater access to
students in rural areas who may have transportation issues to
get to school.

9. • There are negatives to double shift schools, according to
the World Bank. In many countries, double shift schools
serve predominantly poor populations, and educators
have concerns that these particularly vulnerable students
are not receiving the same education as their peers. Also,
some double shift school students spend less time in
class than their peers -- in some countries, as little as half
-- which may lead to reduced knowledge, gained.
Because double shift schools keep students in the
classroom for less than the average school day -- five or
six hours, as opposed to seven hours -- certain subjects
such as science and technology may be cut from the
schedule. Finally, most double school students do not
have the opportunity to experience extracurricular
activities.

10. General questions to consider:
 MAKING DOUBLE-SHIFT SCHOOLS WORK
Q1: Which classes should be taught in which shifts?
Q2: How should the timetable be organized?
 Staffing and management
Q1: How to staff double-shift systems?
Q2: How to manage double-shift systems?
 Quality – finding a way around the obstacles
Q1: How to ensure delivery of the main curriculum?
Q2: How to ensure extra-curricular activities?
Q3: How to deal with more time spent at home?

11. 1. IDENTIFY PRIORITIES
 Assess the strength of available financial resources
 Assess different outcomes
 Consider alternative uses of resources
1. CONSIDER COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND COST-UTILITY OF
DOUBLE-SHIFT
 Consider best value (not necessarily most cost effective)
 Choice of model

12.  Management structures, recruitment and training
 Hours of schooling (/day, /week, /year)
 Out-of-school learning (homework, self-instruction, good
textbooks, parental guidance)
 Use of teachers (supply of teachers, teachers’ union views)
 Extra rooms (for doing homework, remedial work)
 Use of other community facilities

13. • -“Issues associated with double shift schooling are more
complex than appear at first sight. Education authorities have
to balance a wide range of competing factors and must find
strategies which are not only cost-effective but also politically
acceptable.”
• - “In most countries, benefits exceed the costs but it is
important for policy-makers to assess both sides.”