Gujarat government on Tuesday issued instructions to all schools in the state to ensure that the weight of children's school bags is not more than 10 per cent of their own weight.
Accroding to the Government Resolution (GR), the schools will have to decide the weight of school bags for students in each of the classes as per the average standard weight of children of the concerned age. The government also put restrictions on the study material, besides textbooks, and an added burden of homework on the students.
The GR reads, "The leading doctors suggest that the weight of the school bag should not be more than 10 per cent of the student's total weight. The government, therefore, has resolved to decrease the weight of school bags through this resolution."
The GR cited reasons for this rule, adding, "As per the general opinion of the experts, it is learnt that weight of school bag has been increasing because of books, guides, practice books, essay books, notebooks and separate books for class work and homework, water bottle and other materials. Increasing weight of school bag causes problems like backache, muscular pain, mental stress, spinal cord injurty, neck pain and other similar health problems. This also causes adverse effect on growth and development of the children."
The state government has also issued a model timetable for schools that can decrease the burden further. The education inspectors will assess whether schools implement this new rule.
Education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said, "Our officials, who visit schools during inspection, will check whether schools are following these rules or not. They will also prepare a report accordingly. Strict action will be taken against schools found not implementing these new rules."
In order to ensure the rule is implemented in a swift manner, the GR also mentioned ways of reducing the weight. The schools will have to make unadulterated drinking water available to students in order to avoid them carrying heavy water bottles in their bags. The government has also suggested that parents purchase lightweight bags and avoid sending luch boxes since mid-day meal is provided in schools.
Shaji Mathew, Principal, Divine Child International School, says, "For pre-primary, we have only two subjects per day. But I doubt if 1.5 kg is feasible. It is not just the books that students carry, parents prefer to send steel water bottles as well. The bottle itself weighs atleast 700 grams along with 1 litre of water. Parents need to cooperate with the schools. We send notebooks home during the weekend. For the rest of the week, students do not need to carry any books."
"The onus is on the parents as much as it is on the schools", says Nashy Chauhan, Director, Anand Niketan Satellite, adding, "Timetables are given to the students, however, parents still send all books in their kids' bag. They do not even look at the timetable. Fancier bags, modern lunch boxes and steel water bottles add weight to their bag. Students in our school follow a file-folder system, under which they do not need to carry notebooks. They just bring few sheets of each subject stacked in a folder. Their textbooks are kept in a locker."
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The state government has also issued a model timetable for schools that can decrease the burden further. The education inspectors will assess whether schools implement this new rule.
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