Specially designed school bags from next year

by Manjula FERNANDO

Following the alarming findings of a University professor's survey in 2007 which showed schoolchildren develop permanent disabilities due to the current unbearably overweight school bags, an ergonomically designed school bag is now being prepared in collaboration with the Health and Education authorities.

The health Ministry is fine tuning the recommendations by the Community health doctors who were appointed recently to design the ergonomic school bag for schoolchildren that is likely to be made compulsory in 2011, Health Ministry spokesman W.M.D. Wanninayake said."The bag will be made available from next year," he said.

It was found that overweight and unhealthy school bags cause disabilities in schoolchildren that would in some instances lead to permanent health issues such as nerve and spine problems as they grow into adulthood. The expert study has also revealed that children could get hunchbacked as carrying a stuffed unfit school bag weighs them down.

The recommendations were made after an extensive consultation of teachers, principals, university lecturers, children and parents.A private company has been signed in to manufacture the new school bags and the target is to make sure all four million students in the country will have one of them by 2011.

Plans to conduct awareness programs islandwide to educate teachers, parents and children are now being finalized by education authorities.In addition the Education Ministry is taking steps to reduce the burden of weight by restricting the use of CR books and heavy exercise books by students. The current heavy text books will be printed in three volumes for the three terms so that they are lighter to carry around.

Health issues : Narrow shoulder straps without proper cushioning affects neck muscles, nerves and causes low blood flow to veins around this area. Lugging an overweight bag without proper back padding affects the spine causing back pain. Absence of a proper waist strap causes the bag to swing.

Features of the New Bag : Cushioned four inch shoulder straps. Special padding layer on the back of the bag. Ergonomically designed waist strap. Three separate sections inside to hold different sizes of books. Special compartments for stationery and utensils.