A circular has been issued by the Directorate of Education asking schools to follow the new 'School Bag Policy, 2020'. It is released by the Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
As per the circular, in advance, school teachers should inform the students about the books and notebooks to be brought to school on a particular day and frequently check their bags to make sure that they are not carrying unnecessary material.
According to the policy, the weight of the school bags should be:
1.6 to 2.2 kg for students of Classes I and II,
1.7 to 2.5 kg for Classes III, IV, and V,
2 to 3 kg for Classes VI and VII,
2.5 to 4 kg for Class VIII,
2.5 to 4.5 kg for Classes IX and X and
3.5 to 5 kg for Classes XI and XII.
It is also added that the teachers should also take the responsibility of checking the weights of the school bag of students every three months on a day that is selected for the whole class. Any information about heavy bags should also be communicated to the parents.
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What is the 'School Bag Policy, 2020'?
In the policy, the guidelines on homework and the weight of school bags are laid down for classes from I to XII.
Across classes, I to X school bags should not be more than 10% of the bodyweight of students and in pre-primary students, there should be no bags.
Up to class II, it is recommended that there should be no homework and a maximum of two hours per week for classes III to V, for classes VI to VIII one hour a day, and two hours a day for classes IX and above.
Schools have to introduce infrastructural changes as students will not be able to carry many books daily.
Lockers will be provided by the schools from preschool to senior secondary to enable children to leave books in school and whatever is required they should carry to their homes.
In the policy, it is also mentioned that it is the responsibility of the teachers of checking the weight of school bags of the students every three months on a day selected for the whole class.
Also, any sort of information should be communicated by the teachers about heavy bags to the parents.
Instead of thick or heavy ones, thin or light exercise books should be preferred.
There should be a drinking water facility that is to reduce the weight of the school bag, it is the duty and responsibility of the school management to provide quality potable water in sufficient quantity to all the students within the school. Due to this, there will be no need to carry water bottles to the children from their homes.
What are the problems with heavy school bags?
It is said that heavy school bags have severe or adverse physical effects on growing children as it can cause damage to their vertebral column and knees.
Due to heavy school bags, neck muscles can be pulled which can further cause headache, shoulder pain, lower back pain, and neck and arm pain.
Body posture also gets disturbed which in the long term develops imbalances in the body and affects the health of the nervous system.
About NCERT
NCERT stands for National Council of Educational Research and Training. It is an autonomous organisation. In 1961, it was set up by the Government of India. Its work is to assist the Central and State Governments on policies and programmes for qualitative improvement in school education.
What are the objectives of NCERT and its constituent unit?
To undertake, promote, and coordinate research in areas related to school education.
To prepare and publish model textbooks, supplementary material, newsletters, journals and develops educational kits, multimedia digital materials, etc. organise pre-service and in-service training of teachers.
To develop and disseminate innovative educational techniques and practices; collaborate and network with state educational departments, universities, NGOs and other educational institutions, etc.
It acts as a nodal agency for achieving the goals of Universalisation of Elementary Education
Source: The Hindu, ncert.nic.in
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