Kerala Unveils Lighter School Bags, No-Backbencher Classrooms

Thiruvananthapuram: Students going to school with a heavy backpack and the presence of ‘back rows’, often associated with out-of-school children, were accepted scenarios in the education sector, but this may not last long in Kerala.

The draft report, which recommends reducing the weight of school bags and creating classrooms without “back rows”, has been approved by the State Curriculum Steering Committee, General Education Minister V Sivankutty said in a statement.

According to him, the aim of the suggestions is to ensure the physical and mental happiness of children by reducing the weight of the bags they carry to school and to create a learning environment without “back rows” as part of the “democratization” of classrooms.

The Minister also said that the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has been tasked to examine these recommendations in detail and the draft report prepared by it has been approved by the committee.

In his statement, Sivankutty said that it was decided to seek public opinions on the draft report in order to ensure the participation of the entire society in the education process.

For this, he said that the report will be published on the SCERT website and teachers, parents, students and the public can submit their opinions and suggestions on the subject until January 20.

He said that the General Education Directorate aims to implement these changes in schools in the next academic year, taking into account the suggestions from the public.

These changes will help our schools become more child-friendly and democratic, the Minister said.