South Point High School on Friday issued an advisory asking students not to carry extra textbooks, bulky tiffin boxes or multiple water bottles to reduce the weight of their school bags.
The school has also reorganised its timetable so that major subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science are taught over two consecutive periods on the same day. The move is expected to reduce the number of books students need to carry to school each day.
Instead of spreading a subject over two periods on different days, we are scheduling the two periods on the same day. This means students can bring fewer textbooks and notebooks, thereby reducing the load of their school bags, principal Jaidev Ghosh said.
The advisory comes weeks after the state government directed government and aided schools to ensure that a student’s school bag does not exceed 10% of the child’s body weight. The order noted that overweight school bags can cause health problems, including backache, among kids.
South Point already had a bag policy that restricts students from carrying excess load on their shoulders.
“The school is committed to ensuring the health, comfort and well-being of our pupils. It has been our constant endeavour to create an environment that is both congenial and sound, and we remain pledged to this cause,” the advisory by the principal says.
“Pupils are advised to carry books to school as per the requirement of the day’s Class schedule. Please understand that in case more than one textbook for the same subject is prescribed, pupils are intimated in advance. To reduce the bag load, South Point High School has modified and tweaked class routines, as and where possible, keeping in mind the best interest of pupils...Pupils are urged to use the school-provided notebooks, which are specially made thinner to cater to their needs,” the advisory says.
A lighter school bag would make it easier for students to move around the campus, especially since classrooms are spread across multiple floors.
At South Point, classrooms for students in Classes VI and VII are on the first floor, while senior students often have to go to the upper floors during the day.
“Parents need to monitor that children are following the timetable and the instructions. Those who travel in private transport often do not bother, but what they need to realise is that inside the school, the child is carrying the weight of the bag,” said Ghosh.
Ghosh has also advised students not to carry bulky tiffin boxes or multiple and heavy water bottles, as these add to the weight of their school bags.
The school has urged pupils to use lightweight pouches or pencil cases and carry only the stationery items required for the day.
Fancy stationery items are particularly popular among younger children, especially those in the primary section, often adding unnecessary weight to school bags.
“It is advisable that your ward uses a rucksack that is made of light material and compartmentalised. It should have two padded shoulder straps that place the school bag properly on the back to avoid back strain or any other related health issue,” the advisory states.
After the government notification came on May 22 several private schools drew up a policy that would help to reduce the burden for children.
Shri Shikshayatan School used the summer vacation to convert textbooks for all classes into PDF format so that the content can be displayed on smart boards in classrooms.
“If the text is available on the smart board, students may not need to refer to their individual books during class,” principal Sangeeta Tandon said.
Tandon said reducing the weight of school bags was achievable if schools adopted practical measures and implemented them consistently.
“Reducing the weight of the school bag is certainly possible, provided we do it intelligently. If we want to enforce the norms strictly, regular monitoring will be necessary rather than a lenient approach,” she said.
Several schools have also encouraged students to share textbooks in class instead of each child carrying a separate copy. “For senior students, study materials are uploaded to the online platform, and we encourage them to share textbooks during class,” said Ambica Mehra, principal of Delhi Public School New Town.