Officials of the Education Department are not happy with the lukewarm outcome of the ‘No School Bag Day’ (Srujana - Sanivaram Sandadi), introduced in primary classes of every school, both private and government, on the first and third Saturdays every month.
The new concept brought in by the government as part of ‘Happiness Curriculum’, aimed at helping children bust stress and engage in extra-curricular activities for their physical and mental happiness.
Close on the heels of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development ordering a cap on the weight of school bags, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed the officials of the education wing to evolve a weight-loss formula for school bags. Expressing concern over young schoolchildren staggering under heavy, bulging bags in the morning and after-school hours, he asked the allied wings in the education sector to design a strategy that would not only reduce the size of the school bag but also incorporate a ‘no-school bag day’ at least twice a month.
Short-lived enthusiasm
But the programme did not take off in the manner in which it was meant to. In the initial months, school managements flashed colourful photographs of children engaging in a series of games, sports and other amusement activities. But gradually, the enthusiasm faded with some teachers saying that they ran out of ideas to engage the children, and some others citing complaints by a section of parents who were “worried that precious time was being wasted in extra-curricular activities.”
Taking a serious note of the programme being reduced to a lacklustre affair, the Commissioner of School Education V. Chinaveerabhadrudu said the very objective of the initiative was to create joyful and child-friendly atmosphere in schools. The purpose of it was defeated by some schools which did not implement the same in letter and spirit, he said.
Mr. Chinaveerabhadrudu asked the Regional Joint Directors, District Education Officers, Deputy Education Officers, Mandal Education Officers and headmasters of all schools to visit two private schools and one government school every first and third Saturday of the month.
The officials have also been asked to submit reports on their visit on the official website of the department.
