School Bags (Limitation of Weight) Bill presented before KP assembly

PESHAWAR: Education Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Shahram Khan Tarakai on Friday presented the School Bags (Limitation of Weight) bill before the provincial assembly.

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

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).

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.

“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.

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