Hanoi will officially implement time adjustment policies starting January 1, 2012 in 10 urban districts and two suburban districts after receiving the nod from the Government in a meeting last week.

Officials and staff of central Government agencies and Hanoi offices will start their work day at 8am and end at 5pm .

Accordingly, high school, university, college and vocational school students will start their school days at 6:30am for the morning shift and end at no later than 7pm for the afternoon shift. Kindergarten, elementary and middle school students will start an hour later at 7:30am .

Staff working at shopping centers and in the services sector (except for banking and finance) will open at 9am and close after 7pm .

In an effort to curb traffic congestion, the Ministry of Transport submitted the plan to change work and school times in Hanoi in late October and the capital submitted its plan to the Government on November 6.

According to statistics from the Hanoi 's Transport Department, there are roughly 380,000 cars and 3.7 million motorbikes in the city. In addition, 50,000 vehicles registered outside the city still participate in the traffic here on a daily basis./.