Mangalore: School reduces children’s burden

 

Mangalore, 03 Jun 2013 (TOI): Parents who went to drop their children at the city-based Canara High School that offers CBSE syllabus had a pleasant surprise on the reopening day of the school. The surprise: the school authorities told parents that their children admitted to first standard need not carry schoolbags. The school reopened here a couple of days ago.

 

In a move at reducing the ’burden’ of the children, Canara School has introduced a new concept - bag-less schooling. This is the only school in this region, where first standard students will not be carrying schoolbags from this academic year. This school has up to ninth standard with a total strength of 822 students, of whom 111 are first standard students.

 

Joy J Rai, principal of the school, told that "We do not want children to carry heavy schoolbags as it is a burden for them and hence told their parents not to send schoolbags. All the books of students will be kept in the school and they will not be given homework.’’

 

The school is also making learning fun. Lessons will be taught through singing and there will be power point presentation of all lessons,’’ said Joy.

 

Since there will be no homework, it will decrease the stress of students and parents at home. As students will not be carrying schoolbags, the school will send notebooks of two subjects back home every Saturday to enable parents keep pace with the progress of their children, Joy said, adding this will help parents know about what their children are up to in academics once every week.

 

"If this new concept of bag-less schooling works out well, we will introduce it in second standard also," she said.

 

Sulakshana Pai, mother of a first standard kid, said that though this is a good initiative by the school, parents will have to wait for one week to know about their children’s progress.

 

Bimba Manoj, another parent, said she welcomes the new initiative as parents will not have to spend time in helping children to do homework every day. This will reduce the stress, she said.