Beijing Municipal Education Commission announced on Friday that primary and middle schools in the city will extend the break time between classes from 10 minutes to 15 minutes starting this fall semester to promote students' physical and mental well-being.

For elementary schools, the morning arrival time, afternoon dismissal time, and lunch break schedules will maintain unchanged. In middle schools, only the dismissal time will be extended by 5 minutes, while others will remain largely the same.

"Students will have more time to relax, rest, and engage in physical activities outdoors, which can effectively alleviate eye strain and enhance their physical fitness," said Wang Pan, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Education Commission.

Schools across Beijing will adjust their break schedules according to their specific conditions. The municipal and district authorities will strengthen supervision to ensure classes do not overrun or start early. Schools are also prohibited from arbitrarily shortening break times or imposing unnecessary restrictions on students' activities during breaks. Strict measures will be implemented to prevent students from leaving the classroom during breaks, ensuring the effective implementation of the new break policy.

Li Boyu contributed to this story.