HRD ministry asks schools to reduce weight of kids’ bags

BHOPAL: The HRD ministry has once again instructed the state governments to reduce the weight of the school bags. An order has been sent to all states for compliance recently. Though the ministry had earlier given out guidelines regarding the same, hardly any school seems to follow it. CBSE bye-laws clearly state that the school bag must only weigh 10% of the students’ weight.
Reacting to it secretary of MP Parents’ Association said, “Children of class 1 and 2 also carry such heavy bags weight at least 5-6 kilos when the students themselves hardly weigh 18-20 kg.Many parents have complained about it but schools don’t listen.”
Sachin Sharma, parent of two daughters in primary school said, “The bags are really heavy and students have to stand at the bust stop for 10-12 minutes carrying them and then reach their classrooms from the bus-parking. And if they forget any school book, they get scolded, so students are forced to carry all the books .”
Physiotherapist Rakesh Kumar said, “Carrying heavy weighted and oversized school bags can cause young children to develop serious spinal deformities and disturbs back and neck curvature. To avoid this, bags should not be strapped to upper back and should have long straps.”
Prominent schools of the city said that they take measures to ensure that students do not carry extra burden by designing a proper time-table.
Vineeta Malik, principal, DPS, Neelbad said, “Class 1students do not carry more than three books. Even for higher classes, the timetables are made in a way to include activities to minimise the number of books carried by the students. .” “We use NCERT books and have asked parents to get the books divided term wise, if they wish. Besides, we have told the students not to carry bottles and lunch-boxes as there are water –coolers and a mess ” said Pankaj Sharma of Sagar Public School, Saket Nagar.