Bhubaneswar: The School and Mass Education Department, Thursday, acted on a report that said ‘schoolbags of students of English medium schools are more than the weight prescribed by the HRD Ministry’ and directed Collectors and Education Officers to take action against schools affiliated to CBSE and ICSE boards which do not adhere to the guidelines framed by the department as well as the Union MHRD.
In a letter, the department asked the education officials and Collectors to take necessary action for implementation of the MHRD guidelines in all schools of the state irrespective of their affiliation to any board.
The department asked officials to monitor the steps taken to reduce the weight of schoolbags.
They will also monitor whether schools are using the books prescribed by SCERT/NCERT and ensure that no homework is given to children of Classes I and II in all schools.
The ministry had categorically stated that the weight of schoolbags should not exceed 1.5 kg for children of Class I and II, 2-3 kg for Class III, IV and V and 4 kg for Class VI and VII, 4.5 kg for Class VIII and IX and 5 kg for Class X students.
