Heavy school bag wears down pupils' growth
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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
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In 5 years time, more secondary schools will be equipped with the 1 student to 1 ipad programme.
Currently it's still in the pilot project phase. I'm surprised that it took us so long to embrace such good technology. Usually it's the cost and budget factor that is holding back schools to start such programmes.In future, every student will get and iPad and the iPad will be have all the textbook the student need.
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its amazing what parents can come up with nowadays.
all damn overprotective.
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Originally posted by dragg:
its amazing what parents can come up with nowadays.
all damn overprotective.
And imagine how their over-protected children will grow up as???-____-
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The other day when we had a prominent guest speaker, he's the principal investigator from the sport sciences faculty taking part in a studies on how the amount of weight in a backpack would affect the spinal structure developement.
It's true that over a long period of time with such a heavy load on the shoulder and back, it cause some spinal development problems. The results was more significant for kids at young age especially when they are still growing.
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A simple solution would be packing your bags b4 going to school...
Just look around... compare primary school kids and secondary school kids... the bags they carry...
Primary school kids bags = big bulky
Secondary School kids bag = small, sometimes also look like very empty...
We've all been thru tat stage b4... When we're in primary school, we bring EVERYTHING... even those we do not need...
They simply have to start learning to pack only the stuff u need...
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Next time
Primary school, Secondary school and JC, all bring one iPad
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I think there's a limit how heavy it should go la...
But seriously, how much books the kids gotta bring each day? It's all to do w/ good bag packing la
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Originally posted by Darkness_hacker99:
Next time
Primary school, Secondary school and JC, all bring one iPad
money money money...Low end income how? got help funds but the guideline how to set? becoz no matter how u set it, sure got ppl not happy that some got free/subsidise, some dun have...
Education mustn't become a liabilty for the lower income grp... It shouldn't be taken as eudcation = for elites only...
Maybe next time when it is much cheaper... infact, they can always start with those cheapo netbook...
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not a bad idea. but moe must be able to find a good tablet source that is affordable for all. and the problem if the students will play more than they study.
I agree with those that said good packing.. after all there are lockers in schools. do they even use it? -
i used to leave my books in the bookselves at the back of the classroom.
i guess thats why i always failed my exams.
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I still remember the days of walking up the staircases to my classroom on the sixth storey with my 6 - 8 kg school bag every school day when I was a primary school kid...and occasionally used the lift when no one's looking (we weren't allowed to).
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My school didn't even have lifts haha. but lucky 4 floors nia. but indeed. why primary school bags are so heavy when we take so few subjects?! =.=
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I remember when I used to carry a super heavy bag to school... ahh the good old days... thanks for sharing the article.
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Originally posted by Darkness_hacker99:
Next time
Primary school, Secondary school and JC, all bring one iPad
LOL -
Teach her how to pack her own bag.
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Ask maid to carry the bag wherever the girl goes lol.
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My elder sister going through spine operation next year, if this was the cause of it...... &*&^$#%$@&
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but its likely that not everyone will be able to afford all these tabs. textbooks are extremely heavy nowadays, mine weight around 10kg for everything today including my full uniform for cca ... its good to rent a locker...
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books i am carrying super heavy.
u see my history textbook, thick like?
all my books damm thick.
my bestie went for sugery because of this!
and i have to stripe because every year we have the spinal check. :/
damm MOH
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Don't you have the timetable for lessons.
Just bring the books you require for the day.
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i everyday pack my bags.
still heavy leh
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i weigh my monday bag.
5.6 kg!
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Originally posted by AIex:
I still remember the days of walking up the staircases to my classroom on the sixth storey with my 6 - 8 kg school bag every school day when I was a primary school kid...and occasionally used the lift when no one's looking (we weren't allowed to).
yup.....and i wasn't allow to have a locker... :(
i really pity the primary school kids
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and the damm locker vendo haven't give me the combinatiom code.
when i tried to book a locker, it tell me to pay even though i paid.
must spam the vendoe with complaint calls tomorrow.
