Dibrugarh: Officials of the education department visited schools across Tinsukia district on Wednesday and physically checked the weight of students’ school bags as part of an enforcement drive to ensure compliance with prescribed limits.The inspection followed instructions issued by the Tinsukia inspector of schools and district primary education officer, directing govt and private schools in the district to reduce the excessive weight of students’ bags.Officials visited schools, weighed students’ bags and reviewed whether the prescribed norms were being followed.The authorities have made it mandatory for schools to ensure that students do not carry bags beyond the weight fixed for their respective classes.Under the guidelines, students of Classes I and II can carry school bags weighing up to 1.5 kg. The permissible weight for Classes III to V is between 2 kg and 3 kg.The maximum weight has been fixed at 4 kg for students of Classes VI and VII, 4.5 kg for Classes VIII and IX, and 5 kg for Class X students.“Today’s inspection is aimed at checking whether the instructions regarding school bag weight are actually being followed in schools. The purpose is not simply to weigh the bags but to ensure that students are not unnecessarily burdened. Schools have been directed to strictly follow the prescribed limits and take appropriate steps to reduce the load carried by children,” Tinsukia inspector of schools Madan Pegu said.The department said schools were expected to monitor the contents of students’ bags and ensure that children were not asked to carry unnecessary books, notebooks or other materials.The move is aimed at protecting students from the physical strain associated with carrying excessively heavy bags, which can cause discomfort and contribute to posture, shoulder and back problems among children.
