PONDA: Concerned over the health of their children, parents from Ponda Taluka have demanded with the government to make an effort to reduce the weight of school bags for the children.
The parents said, “Heavy bags with a weight of more than six to eight kgs are a threat to the health and well-being of children. Many times, the children with weak physiques, especially girls are seen walking with a bent back while bearing the weight of school bags. The heavy load of bags is caused due to notebooks, textbooks, and rough books, besides there is the weight of school bags, water bottles and other materials. Nobody bothers about the burden and back pain the children are facing due to the heavy weight of school bags.”
Parent Sandeep Parkar said, “The Central government introduced School Bag Policy in 2020. However, most schools have forgotten the policy.”
He said, “It is possible to reduce weight. The schools should make efforts to reduce the weight of school bags on the students to protect their health at a young age.”
“Many times, two students, seats on one bench where they can share one textbook instead of carrying two books at a time. Similarly, one rough notebook should be allowed so that they can copy notes of each subject at home. The schools should provide them with drinking water this would reduce the burden of water bottle weight. Though there are school buses, the weight has to be borne on the back. In some schools there are no buses where students go and they return from school by walking, carrying the weight,” Parkar added.
He said, “There is Central government direction on how much weight students should carry from Class I to XII. For Class I and II, it is 1.6 to 2.2 kgs and for Class XI and XII, it is 3.5 to 5 kgs. However, we see many times, students carrying the weight of more than six to eight kgs on their back.”
“My daughter with weak health falls sick often because of more weight of books she carries to the school and even misses her class,” he added.
Kavlem school Class VIII student said, “All students are requested to bring notebooks and textbooks by their respective teachers.”
She admitted that if two students sit on a bench one textbook is sufficient for them. She added that she every day carries eight textbooks, similarly the same number of notebooks.
Ponda school Headmaster said, “There is a government circular on this but so far there is not much awareness on it.”
He said, “The weight of school bags on children should be definitely reduced. There is a provision to provide textbooks to each student. However, if two students, seat on one bench there is no need to carry two books on the same subject by both of them. They can share one book and thus weight can be reduced.”