Silent abuse: Parents call for holistic solution to heavy school bags
Recent cases highlighting the impact of overweight school bags on the growth of primary-aged children have reignited calls for a holistic solution to the long-standing problem.
National Parents Teachers Association president Mohamad Ali Hasan said failure to address the issue could be seen as a form of abuse against growing schoolchildren.
"Must our children, the students, be forced to carry such heavy burdens every day? Isn't this an indirect form of abuse towards the growing children?
"We want our children, the students, to enjoy going to school without additional burdens, particularly at the primary school level," Mohamad Ali told Malaysiakini.
"An urgent holistic action must be taken so that not only this 'silent abuse' is stopped, but more importantly, the students' long-term growth is not hampered," he said.
Earlier this month, local media reported claims by a doctor in Seremban that carrying a heavy schoolbag in primary years had led to his 17-year-old daughter, Nurul Hanim Fazwin, having to recently undergo surgery for scoliosis.
Sinar Harian quoted Dr Mohd Zaqrul Razmal Mohd Podzi as saying his daughter had, in her teenage years, displayed signs of a bad posture, and it was eventually found that her spine had curved by 40 degrees and required surgery.
Mohamad Ali said among the proposed solutions include teaching children only to bring the necessary books and provide lockers in schools.
Convert books into digital format
Several parents in conversations with Malaysiakini also echoed the proposal for lockers in school, as they noted there has so far been no solution to the long-standing problem.
A father, who only wished to be known as Zin, said one solution could be for the total number of subjects to be reduced.
"Imagine each subject requires one textbook and (at least) two notebooks. So that accounts for a lot of books.
"My proposal is to place a cupboard in each classroom to keep the textbooks, so students do not need to bring them home," he said.
Accountant Danial Zufar, 28, said the methods used during online learning sessions held throughout the Covid-19 pandemic could be adopted for face-to-face classes and reduce reliance on heavy textbooks.
"Or, if they insist on using the old ways, provide lockers for the students so there will be no excuse that they forgot to bring any books," he said.
For nurse Hidayah Fadzil, 26, the current textbooks used in school could be converted into a digital format.
"As a mother, I feel that textbooks can be replaced with a tablet or laptop for ease of access and convenience.
"If they really want to use textbooks, provide a locker for the children," Hidayah said.
In September 2018, the Education Ministry issued a circular intended as a guideline for schools to reduce the weight of a student's bag, based on a study that found textbooks, if brought to school following the daily schedule, would only account for 28 percent of a bag's total weight.
The ministry's study quoted in the circuit also found that children were required to bring various additional books, including workbooks and dictionaries.
In terms of solutions, the circular proposed for the daily schedule to be reduced to three or four subjects a day and for schools to provide lockers.
Meanwhile, parents are encouraged to provide their children with an appropriate bag and to check their daily schedule.
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