SHILLONG: In order to ensure that weight of School bags for children is well within the limits, the youth wing of Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) maintained that schools should strictly comply with the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) instructions on schools bags.
The KHNAM pointed to the MHRD’s notification on October 5, 2010 instructing all States and Union Territories to formulate Guidelines to regulate the teaching of subjects and weight of School bags in accordance with the Centre’s instruction.
In a statement issued here, president of KHNAM youth wing, Thomas Passah said the State Department of Education had been directed to strictly comply with the instructions with immediate effect.
With health of the children being the focal point, the KHNAM asserted the state government has not informed them of the steps initiated till date.
KHNAM raised a concern that students especially those below the age of 12 are made to carry school bags that are very heavy which is affecting their health.
Further, pointing to a Committee set up by the Government of Maharashtra which revealed that 58% of children below 10 years of age are suffering from Mild Muscle Pain and 74% of children below the age of 12 frequently complain of illness from time to time due to heavy school bag, which has also been acknowledge by the Health department.
In its guidelines, the MHRD maintained that homework shall not be assigned to the students of Class I & II.
Further, the schools should not prescribed any other subjects except Language and Mathematics for Class I & II and Language, EVS and Mathematics for Class II to V students.
As per the instructions, the students should not bring additional books; extra materials.
Weight of school bags should not exceed 1.5 Kg, 2-3 Kg, 4 Kg, 4.5 Kg, 5 Kg for classes I-II, III-V, VI & VII, VIII & IX, X respectively.