KP becomes first province to reduce burden of schoolbags through legislation

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Wednesday approved KP School Bags (Limitation Weight) Act to regulate the weight of schoolbags, ARY News reported.

Taking to Twitter, the Provincial Minister for Education Shahram Khan Tarakai said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become the first province to introduce such legislation.

In a statement, he said that the act would give a long due relief for children and parents.

“I am glad to announce that the provincial cabinet has approved the KP school Bags (Limitation Weight) Act today which will to regulate the weight of School Bags. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the first province to introduce such legislation. A long due relief for children & parents,” he wrote.

I am glad to announce that the Provincial Cabinet has approved the KP school Bags (Limitation Weight) Act today which will to regulate the weight of School Bags. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the first province to introduce such legislation. A long due relief for children & parents. pic.twitter.com/0EhcTTGJbu

— Shahram Khan Tarakai (@ShahramKTarakai) October 7, 2020

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).

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The approved law is meant for all educational institutions, including government, private, seminary, autonomous, semi-autonomous and others functioning in the province.

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