SCHOOL BURDEN

Key highlights of order:

• All schools in the State, including government, aided and unaided institutions, should ensure that the weight of a school bag is not more than 10% of the child’s weight. A bag of a student in Class 1 or 2 should weigh no more than 2 kg. It can weigh anywhere between 2 and 3 kg for students from Class 3 to 5. The prescribed weight increases progressively, with students in Class 9 and 10 allowed to carry bags in the 4-5 kg range.
  
  
• Students in Classes 1 and 2 should not be given any homework. All classwork should be kept in the school itself, either in files or books.
  
  
• Schools must set a timetable in advance, which will limit the number of books that have to be brought to class every day.
  
  
• schools should create awareness about the health hazards of lugging heavy school bags.
  
  
• Schools must provide some space in classrooms where students can store their notebooks and textbooks.
  
  
• Make provisions for drinking water facilities so students don’t have to carry water bottles in their bags.
  
  
• The third Saturday of every month should be followed as a “No School Bag Day”. On that day, teachers have to engage students without any books. Suggested activities include field visits, general knowledge clubs, art classes, indoor and outdoor games, abacus, dance classes, and debates.
  
  

Background:

• The order comes after the Union Ministry for Human Resource Development in October last year directed all States to draw up guidelines to reduce the weight of school bags.
  
  
• Following the Ministry’s direction, the Department of Primary and Secondary Education took up a pilot study, which was conducted by the Directorate of State Education, Research and Training and the Centre for Child and Law, National Law School of India University.