Deputy Minister Kalaya floats E-book idea to avoid schoolchildren having to carry heavy bags

Deputy Education Minister Kalaya Sophonpanich says she wants to introduce E-books so school children will no longer need to carry heavy schoolbags loaded with books.

The deputy minister made the remark in response to a news report about a 14-year old school girl in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen who is suffering from scoliosis and has a bent spine, which her mother suspects was caused by carrying a heavy schoolbag since she was nine.

Khunying Kalaya said she is concerned about the girl’s case, but is not convinced that her bent spine was caused by carrying a heavy schoolbag.

However, she said that she would like school children to carry fewer books and replace them with E-books, so the children can read them on more portable digital devices.

Mr. Suthep Chitayawong, secretary-general of the Office of Basic Education Commission said, however, that the E-books idea should wait because most schools are not ready and the issue needs to be studied and assessed by the Educational Techniques Department.

However, he said he had issued a circular to all primary and secondary schools reminding them that the weight of schoolbags should be kept within the global standard of 10-20% of the weight of the child.

In Thailand, 10 years ago the average weight of a schoolbag was set at 15% of the child’s weight, said Mr. Suthep.

For instance, he said a Pathom 1-2 student should not carry a bag weighing more than 3kg, Pathom 3-4, not more than 3.5kg and not more than 4kg for Pathom 5-6.

Mr. Suthep also advised parents to check their children’s teaching timetable to make sure that they do not carry unnecessary books.

 

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account

Remember me Lost your password?

Lost Password