Integratedtextbooks plannedto freeschoolkidsfromheavybags

Balbharti to implement proposal for Class 1 to Class 7 from academic year 2020-21

MUMBAI:TO reduce the burden of schoolchildren carrying heavy bags, the state’s school books publishing bureau has proposed integrated textbooks that will have content from various subjects. Balbharti, in an announcement on its website, said the project will be implemented on a pilot basis for Class 1 to Class 7 from the academic year 2020-21.

“For some years now, concerns have been raised about children carrying heavy school bags. A government resolution clearly listed out precautions that need to be taken to ensure that the weight of bags goes down. Many had suggested reducing the weight of textbooks by dividing them into ‘sections’, so that students do not have to carry the entire bulky book at all times. Hence, it has been decided to try this on a pilot basis,” reads the announcement.

Experts said having just one textbook for different subjects could help reduce weight of bags

by 1kg-2kg, depending on the class.

“This was a suggestion that had been made earlier. The government

did not proactively implement it. It is good that a pilot is happening. This should be complimented with other initiatives like providing lockers in schools, reusing old set of books, etc,” said Swati Patil, a Mumbai-based activist, who had filed a petition in the Bombay high court about students having to carry heavy school bags.

The first phase of the project will cover schools from 59 blocks across the state, after which feedback would be sought from all stakeholders to decide on its complete implementation. Textbooks from Class 1 to Class 5 will be divided into three parts, as they have fewer subjects, while those for Class 6 and Class 7 will be divided into four parts. “With this, a student will only have to carry one textbook to school every day,” said an education department official.

In 2015, the state government had come out with a Government Resolution (GR) stating that a child should not carry a bag that weighs more than 10% of his/her body weight.

Meanwhile, to make it easy for students in Marathi medium schools to understand concepts of Maths and EVS after transitioning to English medium in Class 11, the education department will now have bilingual textbooks for these subjects on a pilot basis.