‘A lighter bag makes kids happy’
Rajasthan School Education has introduced integrated books in primary schools to decrease the weight of the school bags. The government has issued integrated books in class I, II and III as a pilot for this year to make students love studying.
As a part of the ‘Baste ka Bhoj Kam’ Project, one school in every district has reduced its weights to a third. The books of English, Hindi, and Maths of Class I and II have been divided into three parts chapter-wise. Parts of these subjects will be unified in one book. For Class III students, books of Maths, English, Hindi, and Environment have been divided into three parts and each part into one book.
These Integrated books are called ‘Aao Khelen’ describing education and learning as fun, not as a burden for students.
Teachers have welcomed this move by the Rajasthan School Education as they believe kids don’t deserve to carry heavy baggage to school. As many as 91.3% of teachers think this project should be implemented in other states as well.
“There was high time this step was taken. Kids were forced to carry Books for every subject even though only one subject was taught. It is best for kids to carry books with chapters that would be taught,” said Vipin Sharma, General Secretary of Rajasthan Primary and Secondary Teachers’ Association (RPSTA).
The government schools have been issued integrated books with three chapters to be taught in school as per a pilot project. The teachers have been instructed to teach from the prescribed books and take feedback from parents and children.
As a part of the study, 72.9% of students have been bothered by the weight of the bag and 42% of students said heavy bags act as a barrier from going to school.
Rajasthan Education Minister, Govind Singh Dotasra said, ‘We are the first state and I appeal to other states public and private schools to follow such initiative.”