Kanglung Primary School in Trashigang has adopted a homework policy to unburden students from heavy school bags.
It was learnt that carrying heavy school bags is mentally and physically detrimental for students.
Kanglung Primary School Principal Sangay Dorji said: “We have adopted the homework strategy for students. Now, students are given only two homeworks a day and they can keep the rest of books in their respective classrooms.”
He added that reducing the number of home works has encouraged students to learn.
He also said that though the classrooms do not have shelves to keep books, student uses their respective desks to keep their books. “ But we are planning to provide book shelves for each classroom as soon as possible.”
Another teacher said that they have also told students to use thin notebooks.
Sonam, a student from the school said that with the initiative, the weight of their school bags has reduced.
“There was a time when we use to get homework for all the subjects but for now we get homework for only two subjects and we keep rest of the books in our respective classrooms,” said Sonam.
Another student said that carrying heavy school bags exhausted her. “By reducing the weight of our school bags we can concentrate better in the class.”
A mother of two from Khangma said that when students have to carry heavy bags, it leads to loss of interest to learn. “Heavy school bags discourage students to go to school.”
She said that parents who own a car can drop and pick up their children but for the parents like her who do not, the homework policy is a timely measure.
Meanwhile, Sangay Dorji said that research has shown that students carrying heavy school bags can suffer neck and back pain and shoulder strain.
“We have planned to come up with other strategies like equipping classrooms with lockers and shelves, reducing the number of notebooks and encouraging the students to buy slim notebooks,” he added.
Kanglung Primary School 360 students.
Jigme Wangchen from Kanglung ,T/gang