Kerala plans measures to reduce school students' bag weight

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keralam General Education Minister N Samsudheen on Monday said the government would hold a meeting on November 24 to discuss measures to reduce the weight of school bags, including changes in the printing and distribution of textbooks. The minister was responding to a petition submitted by CPI MLA K K Valsaraj in the assembly on the difficulties faced by high school students due to the excessive weight of their school bags. The petition was submitted on behalf of students of a government school in Kaipamangalam assembly constituency.

Samsudheen said the issue was already under the department's consideration and had been discussed at an earlier meeting. "One option being considered is to print textbooks with lessons arranged on a monthly or half-yearly basis to reduce the weight students have to carry," he said.

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The department was also exploring the possibility of using lighter paper to print textbooks, he added. The minister said the meeting scheduled for November 24 would discuss the issue in detail and examine whether these measures and other alternatives could help reduce the burden on students.