KP Assembly passes School Bags Weight Limitation Bill 2020

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly on Tuesday passed the School Bags Weight Limitation Bill 2020 2020, ARY News reported.

The bill is aimed to regulate the weight of schoolbags for the children.

The bill was presented by Education Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Shahram Khan Tarakai on Friday in the assembly.

The permissible weight of school bag for pre-Grade-1 would be 1.5 kg, Grade-1 2.4 kg, Grade-2 (2.6,) Grade-3 (3 kg), Grade-4 (4.4) kg, Grade-5 (5.3) kg, Grade-6 (5.4) kg, Grade-7 (5.8)kg, Grade-8 (5.9) kg, Grade-9 (6kg), Grade-10 (6.5kg) , Grade-11 (7kg) and Grade-12 (7kg).

JUI-F member Mahmood Bhatti opposed the bill. According to the bill, action would be taken against the principals of the government schools and fine up to Rs200,000 would be slapped over private educational institutions over the violation.

The Provincial Minister for Education Shahram Khan Tarakai in the month of October had said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become the first province to introduce such legislation.

According to doctors, heavy schoolbags lead to strain, fatigue and physical discomfort among children and thus, affecting their attentiveness and ability to learn.