For many years, the school-going kids have been burdened with heavy school bags which have become a threat and have created an adverse physical effect on growing children which can cause damage to their vertebral column and knees.
In this regard, the Delhi government has given the order for schools to implement the new school bag policy which was announced in December to reduce the physical burden on students. The Directorate of Education (DoE) wrote a letter to school principals where it talked about the serious health issues growing students often face due to heavy school bags.
It made several recommendations including no textbooks for preprimary classes, single notebooks for classes 1 and 2, frequent checks of school bag weight, encouraging the use of bags with two straps, and informing about the appropriate kinds of school bags to use.
Order in line with National Education Policy (NEP)
The Delhi government order to put a check on school bag weight is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) where it was stated that the weight of school bags shouldn’t be more than 10% of the student’s body weight.
Main highlights from the Delhi government order regarding school bag weight:
1. "The load of school bag is increased by bringing textbooks, guides, homework or classwork notebooks, rough work notebooks, water bottles, lunch box, and sometimes the heavy weight of the school bag itself.”
2. “The number of textbooks in different classes should not exceed the number prescribed by the statutory bodies.”
3. “Heads of schools and teachers should frame a well-designed timetable for each class so that children do not have to carry too many books or notebooks to the school each day.”
4. "For other classes, there shall be one notebook for each subject for exercises, projects, unit tests, experiments, among others, which the students need to bring as per the timetable.”
5. “Students should not be asked to bring additional books or extra materials to the school.”