BHUBANESWAR: Khurda administration has decided to conduct surprise visits to the schools in the district from Wednesday to check the weight of school bags as per the prescribed guidelines.
As per the Centre’s order issued last year, weight of a school bag for students of Classes I and II should not exceed 1.5 kg and three kg for Classes III to V. Similarly, the weight of school bag should not exceed four kg for Classes VI and VII, 4.5 kg for Classes VIII and IX while that of Class X should not exceed five kg.
Khurda Collector Sitansu Kumar Rout said three district-level squads formed for the purpose will visit public, Government and Government-aided schools in the Capital. “The squads will visit schools under Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) without giving prior information to school authority and verify the weight of bags being carried by students,” stated a letter from the District Education Office (DEO) to all Block Development Officers, principals of public schools, Government schools as well as Government-aided schools.
The measures have been taken after the State Government issued the order in the first week of August. “Any deviation from the prescribed weight of school bags will be reported to School and Mass Education Department for necessary action,” the letter stated. The raids will take place on a daily basis, the DEO said.
This apart, 10 block-level squads have been formed to measure weight of school bags of children. These squads will function in Jatni, Balianta, Begunia, Bolagarh, Tangi, Chilika, Banpur, Khurda and Balipatna in the district for strong enforcement of the Government order.Both district-level and block-level squads will be accompanied by police personnel.
In a letter to all the states and Union Territories in November last year, the Human Resources Development Ministry had issued a direction asking them to formulate guidelines to regulate the teaching of subjects and weight of school bags. It had also asked the principals and headmasters not to assign homework to the students of Class I and II.Students should not be asked to bring additional books and extra materials, the order stated.
