Proposal to ease pupils' burden welcomed
Published on: Friday, October 21, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), parents and teachers alike hail the news that the Education Ministry has come up with some proposals to ease the burden of pupils in Chinese primary schools nationwide, who reportedly carry schoolbags weighing between 6kg and 10kg.Last week, Deputy Education Minister Chong Sin Woon said a study carried out by the National Union of Heads of Schools showed that two-thirds of this weight is in books alone.According to him, the union's two-month study showed that on average, the weight is 22pc textbooks, 23pc extra workbooks, 23pc exercise books, 19pc water tumblers and the rest is the weight of the schoolbag itself.
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Among the proposals are to provide lockers in schools and to provide a water filtration system so that the pupils need not bring drinking water from home. "The last proposal is providing e-books," he added.Datuk Nancy Ho, a member of the Institute Sinaran Board of Governors, welcomed the Ministry's move, saying it may help to prevent bad posture resulting in faulty bone formation. "I am speaking from the health perspective in view of bone formation at an early age," she added.The Association of Sabah National Type Chinese School Management Committee (Sabah Dong Lian) said the Deputy Minister's announcement is good news for primary school pupils and parents. "We (Committee) are pleased that the Ministry is taking appropriate steps to assist the pupils," said its Chairman, Ben Lim Kiat Kong."Why only now?" queried Tony C.K. Wong, a parent. "The issue of heavy schoolbags is an old one and yet to be resolved (dating back to the days when Datuk Wee Ka Siong was the Deputy Minister of Education). I hope it is not lip service."
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Many parents lamented that their children are using two schoolbags (trolley bag and backpack), together easily weighing 7kg and above, especially those studying in schools which also offer afternoon classes three times a week, blaming it on the education system. In some schools, the poor children have to climb a few flights of stairs at least up to the second floor. For Primary One and Two, the classrooms are usually on the ground floor. "The Ministry wants our children to have creative thinking skills and be more knowledgeable.
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But overloading their bags with textbooks, activity books and exercise books is definitely not the correct way to go about it. They are suffering as a result," they pointed out.Yvonne Yeo, a mother of two, said a kid's trolley bag can weigh up to 1,000 grams (1kg) or more, excluding the textbooks, activity books and exercise books. "So I choose one that weighs 750 grams. The trolley bag is for the morning session, and the backpack is for the afternoon class as different books are used." Afternoon classes are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.Yeo's son, 10, is only in Primary Four, and being in a school that teaches three languages (Bahasa Malaysia, English and Chinese), he has six subject textbooks, including Science and Mathematics, a Poetry book (English) and two Literature textbooks. In addition, he is required to have four activity books for Bahasa Malaysia, one activity book each for English and Chinese, five exercise books for BM and Chinese language (for Dictation, Handwriting, Composition and Sentence building), and one exercise book for English lessons. "On top of it, it is compulsory for each pupil to bring the handbook to school every day," said the mother.Meanwhile, President of the PTA of SRK (M) St Francis Convent, Andrew Lee wondered why the Education Ministry focused only on Chinese primary schools. "What about the mission primary schools? Ideally, there should be one system whereby the Ministry's policy in this respect should apply to all schools in the country, regardless of the medium of instruction," he contended, adding that the growing up years of our children should not be compromised.Mary Kiob reported that her granddaughter, a Primary Four pupil of SRK St Francis Convent, carries a schoolbag that weighs 8.2kg. "It is a physical burden on the child. I hope the Ministry's proposals will also be implemented in mission primary schools," she said.Joshua Ho, who has two young children at SRK St James, described the Ministry's proposals as positive measures to relieve the burden borne by school kids. "Primary or elementary education is important as it provides the foundation for education at the secondary level."Teachers also expressed concern for the bone development of young children, saying the heavy weight of schoolbags may cause the latter to be hunchbacked from an early age.A Daily Express visit to a national-type Chinese primary school (SJK © found that a schoolbag for a Primary One child could weigh as much as 6kg or more. The items include 11 textbooks and activity books, five exercise books, a water bottle or tumbler and a pencil-case. While subjects like Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese language, Dunia Sains & Teknologi, Mathematics and Pendidikan Moral are for the whole year, English is taught three times a week and Pendidikan Kesihatan once a week based on the time-table.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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