Published On : Wed, Dec 16th, 2015

State Govt is committed to reduce burden of students’ school bags: Tawde

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The Education Department has initiated action to ensure that the school bags weigh 10 percent of weight of students.

Nagpur: “The Maharashtra Government has taken a policy decision to reduce heavy burden of school bags of students. Accordingly, the Education Department has initiated action to ensure that the school bags weigh 10 percent of weight of students. In the schools where school bags are heavier, a meeting between teachers, management and Education Officer will be convened and measures in this regard will be initiated instead of action against the schools. The Government is positive and pro-active in reducing burden of students’ school bags and we will be successful in this effort in the coming days,” declared the School Education Minister Vinod Tawde in Assembly.

Tawde was replying to Call Attention Notices moved by Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Harshwardhan Sapkal, Prakash Ambitkar, Sanjay Kelkar and others over implementation of recommendations on reducing burden of school bags. Tawde further said that the Government-appointed committee on the issue has submitted its report.

The Government has accepted the recommendations and started their implementation. The Committee had found that in CBSE, ICSE, IG and other Board schools the school bags weighed 80 percent of students’ weight. Similarly, in SSC, HSSC Board schools, the school bags weighed 20 percent of students’ weight. A scan of school bags found books, copies apart from water bottles, sanitizers, tuition books, dance class books, sports material etc. These things were found in more quantity in the school bags of those students whose parents are in service.

Therefore, the need is to change mentality of parents as well, Tawde said and added that Government is ensuring cheerful education to students. “Under the ‘Pragat Shaikshnik Maharashtra’ the Government intention is to ensure students are more educated,” announced Tawde.