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| Baggage burden on tender shoulders | | | MUNISH GUPTA
Jammu, Jan 2: Education is getting smarter and offices paperless, but the traditional baggage is still burdening the tender shoulders.
"Oh such a heavy school bag!". But who cares? Despite continuous efforts by teachers and principals of several schools to modernise education, the burden of heavy school bags has not been reduced.
It is common knowledge that each child has to carry seven or eight books and at least half a dozen thick hard-bound exercise books. In some cases the satchel of a child is heavier than the child. It is indeed a pathetic sight seeing a large number of small children carrying heavy bags full of books for long distances every morning and afternoon. It is sheer torture of innocence in the name of education.
With increase in the total number of courses and ever-expanding syllabi, the burden is more for students. Several schools have started computer education for even KG classes, besides giving them books for moral education and general knowledge. Since students have been instructed to bring all books, work-books and copies to the school everyday, the burden is not only symbolic but also physical, affecting the health of students.
Several parents, while talking to Early Times said that the burden of school bags was a nuisance and the school authorities need to seriously think of ways to reduce it. Sarita Kohli, whose five-year old daughter is studying at a school , said that the average weight of her daughter’s school bag was 6 kg. “She also has to carry a water bottle and the moment she comes back from the school, she throws away her school bag and bottle, and starts complaining about pain in her arms and shoulders. Several times, I have met her teacher and told her to do something to reduce the burden in school bags, but nothing has been done.”
Pradeep Singh, whose son is studying in Class II, said that his son carried at least seven books and 12 copies to the school everyday. Besides, he has to carry his tiffin box, apron, napkin, school diary and water bottle. He said the school authorities need to take immediate steps to reduce the burden, at least for small kids for whom he suggested that the teachers could keep few books and copies with them on rotation. He also said that his son some times said that Papa “uff yeh basta kardega halat khasta”.
Another parent named Ritu Sharma said that it is not necessary for the children to carry so many books and exercises books everyday and she also added that the school time-table can be so arranged that the number of books and exercise books to be carried by the children can be reduced to reasonable limits.
According to some medical experts neither parents nor teachers were realising the effects of over-burdening schoolchildren. And above all books and copies should be kept at schools and the students should be allowed to enjoy and relax after the school hours.
A few years ago a solemn promise was made by the former Union Human Resource Development Minister, Mr Arjun Singh, that the government would reduce the burden of books on the children and he also pledged to reduce the weight of school bags. Perhaps the former Minister is not aware that the school education policy has led to the establishment of a vicious system whose beneficiaries are not only textbook publishers or shops selling books, but also policy-makers and teachers. The heavy book load has ensured the dependence of average students on teachers after school hours. This has resulted in a mind-boggling rise in tuition fees.
Many parents, students and well-meaning teachers are disillusioned and there is pessimism as school education becomes more of a business. The role of government bodies, such as the NCERT, has been far from commendable.
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