The School Timetabling Problem: A Focus on Elimination of Open Periods and Isolated Classes

Genetic algorithms have successfully been used to solve real timetabling problems. Satisfactory solutions, focused on the elimination of open periods and isolated classes, allowed the "Escola Estadual Padre Rogrio Abdala" to process automatization for 2004 and 2005 school terms consecutively. In this paper, a hybrid variation is proposed (memetic algorithm) in order to improve the algorithm robustness. The comparative analysis through statistical methods (t-test and confidence interval) indicates that hybridization increased the robustness and the quality of the results, presenting more appropriate solutions to that real problem.