India Bans Homework and Heavy Schoolbags to Prevent Spinal Damage

Burdened by the demands of education, the practice of giving homework to kids have gained momentum. So much so that students these days are suffering from hunched backs due to the load of the heavy school bags carrying homework. However, this homework has far-reaching implications on a kid’s mind and body. To cure this, the Indian Government has come up with a new plan to ban homework. 

What is it?

Concerned about producing a generation of children with hunched backs and other spine problems, India has denounced schools for making students carry heavy school bags and giving young children homework.

The government has issued weight guidelines for school bags depending on a child’s age, citing studies that show how the load can affect soft, developing spines.

The Need for Such A Move

One survey done by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India found that 68 percent of pre-teen children might suffer from mild back pain, which can develop into chronic back pain, and later into a hunchback.

The study, which covered more than 2,500 children and 1,000 parents in major cities, found that more than 88 percent of children from seven to 13 carry more than 45 percent of their body weight on their backs.

What do Parents say about this?

Rashmi Tapke, a mother of two, said heavy school bags reflect poor time-table planning and said she supports the federal initiative.

“If they (schools) plan, they can repeat the subjects taught and thus reduce the load. My kids find it difficult to carry so many books,” Tapke, whose children attend a private school in Mumbai, said.

The state of Maharashtra, where Mumbai is located, mandates that the weight on the bag should not exceed 10 percent of the child’s body weight. Many schools there have started using whiteboards and projectors to ensure textbooks are not required to be carried to school.