THIS is with reference to the heavy school bags our children are being forced to carry every day to school. No significant effort has been made to help the children.

According to the World Health Organisation, health is not merely the absence of disease and disability, but much more than that, a state of complete physical, mental and social welfare.

Further, according to the recommendations of the WHO, the weight of a school bag should not be greater than 10pc of the body weight of a student. Despite warnings from experts, school bags are increasingly getting heavier.

Doctors also blame the heavy school bag for the deformity of spine and feet and bad posture in children.

Experts also warn that childhood is a crucial period for growth and development of a child, and that, from the earliest age, children should be taught the proper posture and avoidance of all those habits which may adversely affect their health. That means that, in addition to weight of school bag, the risk presents holding it over one shoulder or in one hand or improperly packed bag.

Thereby, additional warnings are that fatigue in children, headaches or back pain may be caused by the weight that a child carries every day in his school bag.

It is time steps were adopted by schools to provide relief to students and reduce the number of books and copies they carry.

Syed M. Shah
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2014