Daily Times

Carrying heavy school bags day after day is one of the most distressing experiences for young children. Many complain of back pain, which results in adoption of bad habits like poor posture or slouching. The issue of pupils lugging heavy school bags has been a long-standing problem and it is not getting any better. Now, The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has approved a bill against heavy school bags for children going to schools. The rule violation of the suggested law would result in an action against the head of the school, and in the case of a private school, a fine of Rs.200,000 would be charged. The KP cabinet has given approval to the “School Bags Weight Limitation Bill 2019? which is aimed at providing ease to the students from unnecessary burden. The school bag’s weight would be determined by the age and class of the student. The weight could be no less than 1.5 kilograms and no more than 7 kgs.

All Pakistan Private Schools Federation (APPSF) has already taken a positive step in this regard by calling for the formation of a working group to look into the matter of heavy school bags and the effects this has on children’s health. APPSF many times also demanded the government to review the curriculum and syllabus policies to lessen the burden of bags on students by making the curriculum and syllabus activity based, despite of cramming. The Indeed, in this day and age, when nearly everything has gone digital there need to be out-of-the-box solutions to lessen children’s load. Many private schools already send homework through email and apps, yet still make children carry a heavy load of books on their backs. Perhaps more digital solutions and a sensible schedule for carrying only required books can address the problem, Lockers may also be helpful to some extent.

Indeed, with the involvement of educators, Doctors, medical professionals & the government, it is hoped that a solution can be reached that reduces the weight of school bags and ensures a healthy future for the coming generations

The image of young children lugging heavy school bags is a common one across Pakistan. From private schools to govt schools, nearly all educational institutions in this country seem to insist that youngsters carry heavy burdens. However, many doctors and medical specialists have pointed out, heavy school bags are taking a major toll on children’s health, that weighty bags can cause neck, back and shoulder pain in children. The doctor added that many young patients had complained of ailments such as stiff neck and shoulder pain.

Public schools – lacking the advanced technologies of their more well-resourced private counterparts – must also be helped by the state to introduce classroom technologies that can reduce the load in children’s backpacks, and prevent the need to carry heavy textbooks. Thick textbooks of school and tuition, additional workbooks, numerous exercise books, stationery, a one or two-litre water tumbler, lunch box plus the school bag itself contribute to the weight pupils have to carry to school daily. Bringing all the books seems to be the safest way to avoid being reprimanded by teachers and parents. It is not compulsory for pupils to bring their all textbooks to school, if time-table is properly followed.

Using wheeled or trolley school bags may be helpful if the classroom is on the ground floor but imagine carrying a heavy school bag and walking up several flights of stairs. In most of medium and lost cost private schools and also in public schools, the use of electronic textbooks may not be feasible due to the high cost. Nevertheless, pupils can use electronic dictionaries as they are lighter and more efficient. One effective way to lighten the heavy load is to print textbooks that can be separated into various parts so that students only bring the parts that are required for the lessons. Textbooks could be divided into terms or chapters, and the ones required for the day can be placed in a ring file. And instead of using exercise books, pupils should use test pads that can be compiled into ring files as well. Pupils can then carry just two ring files, one for the lessons and the other for the exercises.

Government can plan and give directives to schools for reducing 60% of the Textbook Load by reviewing curriculum & syllabus policies and making it activities based. The existing Textbooks can be converted into 4 small Booklets. Parents can accomplish this task at some book binding shop or even at home at an affordable cost. We, APPSF, already have given directives to schools for reducing the Notebook Load by using Notebooks of only 100 pages. Long Notebooks or Registers be prohibited as they make the Bag much heavier. In many schools use of notebook of 200 pages is still continuing. We can also minimise the bag burden by establishing good working relationship and communication about time-tabling between teachers, parents and Students while transacting the Syllabus in the Class. Every subject has minimum 2 Books. Some teachers do not have a proper planning while transacting the syllabus and hence they ask the students to bring all the books for a given subject. Marks on book care and carrying the books as per School Time-Table to ensure that students carry the Books strictly as per the School Time-Table, marks be allotted on this aspect in their Co-scholastic reports. Random Checking of School Bag of only one student in the Class be carried out everyday and observations be recorded.

We can give directives to Book Publishers for publishing the Textbook in the form of 4 small Booklets or in 4 parts. Moreover, we can give directives to Book Publishers for mentioning weight in gm over all the Textbooks and Reference Books. Publishers must be asked for Maintaining a balance between the Text matter and the Pictures, given in the Textbook and for having a proper page layout, If the mentioned balance is maintained, the number of pages and hence the weight of the Book can be reduced to a considerable extent. The School Bag manufacturers be given directives to mention the weight of the School Bag over its Price Tag.

The ultimate practical solution to lighten the heavy load of school bag in this regard, that school bag burden can be reduced by 60% and the whole issue can be sorted out within a week if the APPSF’s model suggested is adopted by all the stakeholders in true meaning, and there will be an improvement in the performance of all the students. Initiatives such as the one taken by the APPSF administration should be replicated by other Institutions as well.

Indeed, with the involvement of educators, Doctors, medical professionals & the government, it is hoped that a solution can be reached that reduces the weight of school bags and ensures a healthy future for the coming generations. Nothing is more important than the health and wellbeing of our pupils and new generation. If the issue of heavy school bags is not resolved, we might see a generation of hunchbacks!

The writer is the President of All Pakistan Private Schools Federation. President@pakistanprivateschools.com