Abstract:
The research attempted to find out how teachers perceived the mandate on extending teaching hours from 8.00am to 1.00pm for primary schools and 8.00.am to 2.30pm for secondary schools to 9.00 in the morning until 4.00pm. The majority of the teachers interviewed predominantly favoured the old system and pointed to no clear guidelines or programmes to govern the increase in teaching hours. They also found students lacked interest and motivation during the afternoon sessions, the majority were apathetic, bored and found it difficult to concentrate. It was difficult for teachers to be motivated themselves in light of student’s lethargic and listless behaviour which tended to produce more behavioural problems than usual.