Jan 27, 2012 - ST Forum
MY ELDEST daughter has been complaining of headaches and
backaches since Primary 1, and has been suffering for close to four
years now.
The heavy bag that she has to carry to school is the cause of
the problem. This has affected her posture and attention span. Her
condition has been so severe over the past one year that we had to
take her to a chiropractor.
Ideally, school bags should not exceed 20 per cent of the
child's body weight, so as not to impede the child's physical
development.
There have been initiatives in some schools on the use of tablet
PCs for classroom learning and homework, thereby lessening
students' burden of carrying textbooks and exercise books to
schools.
With Apple's recent announcement of an interactive textbook
platform for textbook publishers, perhaps it is time for the
relevant authorities to study a nationwide online learning
experience for our schools.
This will benefit both teachers and students in enhanced
learning and make school life a more enjoyable and pain-free
experience for growing children.
While technology can help in some ways, schools should take
accountability in ensuring that timetables are planned to minimise
the need to carry books for different subjects every day.
Yiang Kok Hon
