CBSE asks schools to keep student bags light

New Delhi: Aiming to keep bags of school children light, CBSE has suggested that teachers should discourage senior students from carrying heavy reference books while schools may continue to keep books of kids up to class II in the school.

In a notification issued by it, CBSE has come up with various recommendations, including the suggestion that school heads and teachers should ensure that senior students bring books according to the time table, and discourage them from carrying heavy ‘reference’ books or other such materials to school.

It has also said it should be ensured that the school curriculum supports more activity-based, ICT-supported learning for all the main subjects in all classes, as far as possible. Homework is to be ‘staggered’ to prevent overload and academic coordinators or supervisors may monitor this, is another suggestion offered by CBSE.

Schools have also been asked to explore the possibility of block scheduling of subject classes in the class time table. Co-curricular activities should be conducted every day, and scheduled in the time table accordingly, to ensure the balance of bag weight throughout the academic session, the CBSE has said.

School heads should counsel parents and teachers about developmental issues caused by children carrying heavy bags to school, according to it, Live Mint reported.

Among other suggestions is restriction of number of textbooks to the prescribed norms (NCERT), particularly at the primary and upper primary levels. It has also been recommended that books should not be covered with non-biodegradable plastic sheet.

Another suggestion is that schools may continue the practice of maintaining and keeping books of students up to class II in the school. Schools may provide racks with locks in all classrooms, where reference books, sports equipment, uniforms can be safely stored without needing to be carried to school, is another suggestion.

Setting up of class libraries and asking students to carry well-designed backpacks correctly, to promote good posture, are among other recommendations.