Have you ever noticed children walking to school with bags that appear almost as heavy as they are? Obviously, it’s a growing concern in many educational institutions today.
The sight of young students hunched over under the weight of their backpacks has sparked important conversations among parents, educators and health experts alike.
So, here comes the question, ‘don’t you think school bags are too heavy these days?’ Surprisingly speaking, during my interactions with parents across several schools in Muscat, the majority shared their concerns about the excessive weight of school bags.
To begin with, one of the major reasons behind this increasing burden is the sheer number of books students are required to carry in both junior and senior level classes.
For each subject, there might be a textbook, a notebook and sometimes even a workbook. Consequently, when this is multiplied by six or seven subjects a day, the bag becomes unmanageable.
Moreover, many schools do not provide locker facilities, which means children are forced to carry all their study materials to and from school every day, regardless of whether they need them. This, in turn, adds to both the weight and the strain.
In addition, another contributing factor is the extra items students often carry, tiffin boxes, full water bottles, stationery kits and sometimes even gadgets or unnecessary books. Without regular monitoring, these extras accumulate and significantly increase the weight. Furthermore, the pressure of homework also plays a role. Children often have to carry multiple books home to complete assignments or prepare for tests, thus leading to an even heavier load.
The consequences, however, are more serious than they might initially seem. Recently, many doctors have warned that carrying heavy bags regularly can lead to poor posture, back pain, shoulder strain and even long-term spinal issues in growing children. Psychologically, the constant physical strain can make students feel tired, irritable and less motivated to engage in school activities. Therefore, it’s not just about the physical weight, but also the emotional burden that often comes with it.
Fortunately, recognising this serious issue, the Ministry of Education has already issued clear guidelines to reduce the weight of school bags. These instructions include limiting the number of textbooks students need to carry, restructuring timetables to avoid subject overload on a single day and encouraging schools to provide storage facilities. However, the implementation of these rules remains inconsistent and many schools have yet to fully comply.
Despite these challenges, there are several practical solutions that can still be adopted. For instance, providing lockers or storage spaces in schools can help students leave behind books they don't need at home.
Additionally, teachers can plan timetables more thoughtfully, ensuring that students don’t have to bring too many subjects’ materials on a single day. Indeed, parents play an important role too. They should regularly check their child’s bag to ensure only necessary items are packed.
Similarly, schools can help by conducting regular ‘bag checks’ to guide students in organising their materials better. Another effective method is to divide textbooks into smaller volumes for each term, a practice that is already being adopted by some schools and publishers.
In a nutshell, the issue of heavy school bags may seem minor at first glance, but it has real consequences for the health and well-being of children. As a society, we must work together, educators, parents and policymakers, to lighten this load.
Our goal should be to make education enjoyable and accessible, rather than something that physically burdens our children every single day. Let us act now to ensure our students can walk into school with their heads held high, not their backs bent low.
The writer is a lecturer of English
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