Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 6: High Court today directed the State Government to take a policy decision with regard to burden of heavy bags on school going children so that they do not have to carry these heavy bags while going to school daily.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice D S Thakur passed this direction in a PIL filed by one Badru-Duja, a student of Amar Singh College Srinagar seeking direction upon the Government to come up with a policy decision so that the burden of carrying heavy bags by the school going children is eased out.
Court after hearing the petitioner counsel directed the ‘appropriate decision in the matter has to be taken by the Government alone’. The court granted 3 months time to Government for making policy to ensure that the children do not have to carry heavy bags daily while going to school.
As per the PIL, the petitioner had urged the Government to encourage e-classrooms, audio-visual technology and other contemporary means for teaching the students.
“A representation has also been submitted to the Government in this regard”, he said, adding the same is pending before and which the Commissioner Secretary Education for the last one month.
Court has also been informed that a Government appointed panel in Mumbai has revealed that over 58 percent of students below the age of 10 years are suffering from ortho-ailments due to heavy school bags.
“The committee had recommended that one book should be used for three months for each subject and the text weight can be reduced by using paper of less weight and without hard cover”, says petitioner.
It is further submitted that the committee had also suggested use of e-classroom, audio-visual technology as also other technological means for teaching and locker facilities be provided to all students for keeping their text books at school.
Follow our WhatsApp channel