As per a report published in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics, about 30 per cent of school children complain of back pain on account of a heavy school bag
Concerned about the ‘heavy burden’ carried by Delhi’s children in the form of school bags, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has sent 7 point guidelines to schools in the capital for reducing the weight of school bags carried by students.
The recommendations that range from teaching children ‘correct lifting and carrying techniques’ to buying ‘child-friendly bags’ have been drafted on the directions of a committee formed by the DoE especially for this purpose and welcomed by the city’s parents.
“It has been observed that school children carry very heavy bags to school, which is affecting their health adversely. These children need to be spared from such burden. All heads of schools are instructed to ensure that school bags are not heavy and they should monitor it on a regular basis,” the department guidelines stated.
Heavy school bags have been a cause for much concern among city parents. In 2013, Child Rights NGO, Uday Foundation — which in collaboration with the Fortis Hospital for two years had begun an online campaign ‘Save My Back’ that had received support from thousands of citizens in the city.
As per a report published in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics, about 30 per cent of school children complain of back pain on account of a heavy school bag. If a child’s school bag weighs more than 15 per cent of the body weight, the journal notes, it changes the angle of shoulder, neck, trunk, and lower limb, and affects overall posture.
Another study conducted by the Indian Medical Association states that heavy bags can result in permanent disability as growth of the skeletal system amongt children occurs during puberty.It also says that the children carrying bags weighing more than 10 per cent of their body weight have been found to have poorer lung function.
Taking note of the growing concern among citizens, the Delhi High Court in January 2012, asked schools to ensure that the bags do not exceed 10 per cent of a child’s body weight.The court had also said that kids shall not be burdened with homework till Class 1.
The Ashok Ganguly Committee constituted by the court suggested that there should be no books in the bag in pre-school classes, and that children should only carry a lunch box and play materials.
Besides devising proper timetables for students to ensure equitable distribution of weight of school bags, the DoE has also asked schools to ‘discourage children from bringing reference books’ and to ‘plan a staggered homework schedule’.
Other instructions include directions to parents to supervise when their children pack their bags so that they don’t carry more than what their timetables require, and asking parents to buy child-friendly bags.
“My daughter lugs such a heavy bag to school, and as a parent, I have often worried about the impact it will have on her health. Hopefully, she will carry a lighter backpack from now,” says Shilpi Arora, a parent from West Delhi.
BODY BAGGED
About 30 per cent of school children complain of back pain on account of a heavy school bag. If a child’s school bag weighs more than 15 per cent of the body weight, it changes the angle of shoulder, neck, trunk, and lower limb, and affects overall posture.
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