Back to school & square one: Kids saddled with heavy bags; parents urge govt to act

Bhopal: As soon as the school started, heavy bags of children have also returned.
Most of the schools in the capital are not following the rules made by the govt regarding the weight of the bags. Even govt schools are not following the rules, due to which children can be seen carrying heavy bags to school every day.

This is a matter of grave concern as carrying heavy bags can lead to serious health issues in children, such as back pain, neck pain, and poor posture.
A few schools have enforced the guidelines and do check if a child is carrying excess weight, but such schools are barely a handful.
According to guidelines issued by the ministry of education, the weight of a school bag should not exceed 10% of the child’s body weight. For example, if a child weighs 30 kg, the weight of the school bag should not be more than 3 kg. However, in reality, most children carry bags that weigh much more than the recommended limit.
“The heavy weight of the bags is due to the number of textbooks and notebooks that children have to carry to school every day. In addition to this, many schools also require children to carry additional items such as water bottles, lunch boxes, and stationery items, which further adds to the weight of the bag,” said Manoj Gupta, father of class 5 student.
The problem is compounded by the fact that many schools do not provide lockers or storage facilities for children to keep their belongings. As a result, kids are forced to carry all their books and other items with them all through the day, which can be physically exhausting and mentally stressful.
“The lack of compliance with government guidelines is a serious issue that needs to be addressed urgently. The govt needs to take strict action against schools that are not following the rules and ensure that they provide adequate storage facilities for children to keep their belongings,” said another parent, Sheel Chaudhary.
Parents also have a role to play in this regard. They need to ensure that their children are not carrying unnecessary items to school and that the weight of the bag is within the recommended limit.
“In addition to this, schools can also take steps to reduce the weight of bags by providing e-learning resources and digital textbooks. This can help reduce the number of physical books that children need to carry to school,” say Jagriti Yadav, another parent.
It is important to note that carrying heavy bags can have long-term effects on children's health. It can lead to ‘musculoskeletal’ disorders, such as ‘scoliosis’ and ‘kyphosis’, which can cause permanent damage to the spine. "It can also lead to chronic pain and discomfort, which can affect children's overall well-being and academic performance.
“Therefore, it is essential that all stakeholders, including the government, schools, and parents, work together to address this issue and ensure that children are not subjected to unnecessary physical and mental stress due to heavy school bags,” said Dr Ashok Singh.
The issue of heavy school bags is a serious one that needs to be addressed urgently. The govt needs to enforce the guidelines strictly, and schools must provide adequate storage facilities for kids to keep their belongings.