Karnataka: Bag must be less than 10% of child's weight

BENGALURU: The state government has fixed the weight of schoolbags for classes 1 to 10 and made it clear that no bag should weigh more than 10% of the children's average body weight.
In an order issued on Friday, the primary and secondary education department said bags of students of classes 1 and 2 should weigh between 1.5kg and 2kg, classes 3 to 5 between 2kg and 3kg, classes 6 to 8 between 3kg and 4kg and classes 9 and 10 between 4kg and 5kg. Schools must comply with the order from this academic year.
The order said the Department of State Education Research and Training had, in association with the Centre for Child and Law, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, conducted a pilot study in 2016-17 about reducing the weight of schoolbags in government, aided and unaided schools of the state. Orthopedicians consulted for the study said students can carry bags weighing about 10%-15% of their body weight.
The study considered views of students and representatives of unaided school managements' association.
No homework for students of classes 1, 2
The order referred to an unofficial note issued by the joint secretary to the Centre to take steps on this issue. The order made it clear that no homework should be given to students of classes 1 and 2. The circular said no notebook should exceed 100 pages.
Every third Saturday should be observed as a bagless day and teachers should make sure students are engaged in educational and cultural activities.
Schools have been told to ensure supply of drinking water so students won’t be forced to carry water bottles. Children should be made to perform exercises in loose sheets and these should be filed and preserved in schools so they can consult them on campus, the order added.
The schools should also have facilities to enable students to leave behind textbooks, it added.