No end to burden of heavy bags for J&K school children despite MoE guidelines: There seems to be no respite for the school going children in J&K from carrying heavy burden on their tender shoulders despite the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education(MoE) GoI for reducing the burden of school bags.

The school children continue to carry “heavy burden” on their tender shoulders as the government has failed to implement the guidelines to the schools for reducing weight in school bags.

No end to burden of heavy bags for J&K school children despite MoE guidelines

Last time the directions for regulating the weight of school bags were issued by the J&K School Education Department (SED) in April 2020 when all the educational institutions were closed in J&K due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

However, as the schools reopened for routine schooling from March this year, the school going children were again forced to carry heavy weight of school bags on their shoulders deflating the government move of ensuring the weight of bags in schools, particularly in private schools.

This has raised a major concern among parents who demand strict implementation of the government guidelines for regulating weight of school bags in schools.

“As the schools reopened for routine schooling, the practice of carrying heavy weight bags by small school children continues. It has exposed the government to get the guidelines implemented in schools,” said Nasir Ahmad, a parent from Hyderpora Srinagar.

Earlier, the Ministry of Education (MoE) issued repeated instructions to the School Education Department (SED) of all states and UTs including J&K to regulate teaching of subjects and weight of school bags.

Also, the Children’s School Bag Act 2006 is already in place but the poor implementation of the Act has put the students in trouble. (GK)