Coolies no more
Amdavadi students welcome the decision of KVS to fix maximum permissible weight of schoolbags
By Yogesh Avasthi and Sohini Srinivas
Posted On Saturday, January 16, 2010
KVS eases bag burden of students
Injured birds were brought in GSRTC buses from rural areas. Only sterile surgical equipment, dressing material and suture was used to treat them
Taking a laudable step towards easing the burden of books on students’ back, Kendriya Vidyalya Sangthan (KVS) has laid down weight norms for the bags to be carried to schools.
In a circular to all its principals, the KVS has stated that bags of students in Class I and II should not weigh more than 2 kg. The maximum permissible limit is 3 kg for Class III and IV students.
The prescribed weight is less than 4 kg for students between Class V and VIII, while the upper limit is 6 kg for students in Class VIII to XI.
Giving a thumbs up to the decision of KVS, Amdavadis urged other schools in the city to follow suit. “If KVS can set weight norms for schoolbags, other schools can also do it,” said Bharat Mishra, whose son is a Class VI student of a leading school in the city.
As per physiological prescription, children should not carry more than 1/5 th of their body weight on their back. Else, their spine and skeletal structure can develop infirmity.
Though there had been long debates on reducing the burden on students’ back, precious little has been done so far.
Principal of Prakash High School Dr Hemant Shah told Ahmedabad Mirror: “There have been many discussions on reducing the weight of schoolbags. But we need to execute our ideas. The number of periods each day should be reduced and we should have two to three main subjects. Schools should also give lockers to students to keep their books.”
Right foot forward
St Xavier’s School, Mirzapur, began giving its students of Class I to IV the option of leaving their school bags and books in classrooms last June. The welcome step spares students the burden of carrying heavy bags every day. Both students and parents are loving it. Students are, however, free to carry a few books home.
The school has also decided not to give home work to students of Classs I to VII.
KVS suggestions to reduce the weight of school bags
1. Single note book can serve purpose of class work/ home work
2. Teachers should gradually stop reading from text books and students should not carry text books everyday
3. Home work should not be given in more than 2-3 subjects on a particular day
4. Instead of note book, kids may bring ruled paper sheets (A-4) (15 to 20) in a file, write on them and then tag in separate files
5. Dependence on teaching through books should gradually be reduced
6. Time table be so designed that soft skills are interspersed with academic subjects
7. Note book should not be more tham 100 pages and soft bound instead of hard bound
8. Text books of the session can be divided into three so that each term will have just a few chapters
9. Provision to keep books in every class by providing locker system
10. Used textbooks can be collected by the librarian from students after the session for the use of the next batch and can be issued to the class teachers
11. Students can be given the charge of bringing textbooks in rotation such that each desk has one
12. Giving information to students in advance if the teacher is going on leave
13. Keeping non-scholastic books like art, music, craft at school
14. No textbooks should be there till class IV only teacher’s handbook
15. Changes in the timetable with reduction in the subjects taught in a day
http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=20100116201001160431317502e51b47f
By Yogesh Avasthi and Sohini Srinivas
Posted On Saturday, January 16, 2010
KVS eases bag burden of students
Injured birds were brought in GSRTC buses from rural areas. Only sterile surgical equipment, dressing material and suture was used to treat them
Taking a laudable step towards easing the burden of books on students’ back, Kendriya Vidyalya Sangthan (KVS) has laid down weight norms for the bags to be carried to schools.
In a circular to all its principals, the KVS has stated that bags of students in Class I and II should not weigh more than 2 kg. The maximum permissible limit is 3 kg for Class III and IV students.
The prescribed weight is less than 4 kg for students between Class V and VIII, while the upper limit is 6 kg for students in Class VIII to XI.
Giving a thumbs up to the decision of KVS, Amdavadis urged other schools in the city to follow suit. “If KVS can set weight norms for schoolbags, other schools can also do it,” said Bharat Mishra, whose son is a Class VI student of a leading school in the city.
As per physiological prescription, children should not carry more than 1/5 th of their body weight on their back. Else, their spine and skeletal structure can develop infirmity.
Though there had been long debates on reducing the burden on students’ back, precious little has been done so far.
Principal of Prakash High School Dr Hemant Shah told Ahmedabad Mirror: “There have been many discussions on reducing the weight of schoolbags. But we need to execute our ideas. The number of periods each day should be reduced and we should have two to three main subjects. Schools should also give lockers to students to keep their books.”
Right foot forward
St Xavier’s School, Mirzapur, began giving its students of Class I to IV the option of leaving their school bags and books in classrooms last June. The welcome step spares students the burden of carrying heavy bags every day. Both students and parents are loving it. Students are, however, free to carry a few books home.
The school has also decided not to give home work to students of Classs I to VII.
KVS suggestions to reduce the weight of school bags
1. Single note book can serve purpose of class work/ home work
2. Teachers should gradually stop reading from text books and students should not carry text books everyday
3. Home work should not be given in more than 2-3 subjects on a particular day
4. Instead of note book, kids may bring ruled paper sheets (A-4) (15 to 20) in a file, write on them and then tag in separate files
5. Dependence on teaching through books should gradually be reduced
6. Time table be so designed that soft skills are interspersed with academic subjects
7. Note book should not be more tham 100 pages and soft bound instead of hard bound
8. Text books of the session can be divided into three so that each term will have just a few chapters
9. Provision to keep books in every class by providing locker system
10. Used textbooks can be collected by the librarian from students after the session for the use of the next batch and can be issued to the class teachers
11. Students can be given the charge of bringing textbooks in rotation such that each desk has one
12. Giving information to students in advance if the teacher is going on leave
13. Keeping non-scholastic books like art, music, craft at school
14. No textbooks should be there till class IV only teacher’s handbook
15. Changes in the timetable with reduction in the subjects taught in a day
http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=20100116201001160431317502e51b47f
