Two Saturdays a month to be bagless days from next year

Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar said on Monday that two days in a month will be declared as bagless days in schools in order to develop an interest in extra-curricular activities among students.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, taking seriously the opinions of the parents and the educationists that schoolbags are a burden to the children, the education department has decided to announce two Saturdays in a month as bagless days from the next academic
year.

Instead of lessons, sports and extra-curricular activities will be conducted on such days. There were proposals to declare all Saturdays in a month as bagless days.

“As it will be difficult for the teachers to complete the syllabus if that were to happen, we have decided to restrict it to two Saturdays,” the minister explained.

Mobile phone obsession

Suresh Kumar said since obsession with mobile phones is growing at a dangerous rate in children, the department is pondering over getting such children counselled at Nimhans in Bengaluru. Even teachers have been directed to use mobile phones for work purposes only.

The department will appeal to the parents not to allow their children to become obsessed with mobile phones.

“Rather than giving mobile phones to children, parents can hold conversations with children for two hours a day,” the
minister said.