STUDENT SCHOOL BAG IS HEAVY(WEEK 5)

This is a report about lockers and other school facilities

Endeavour Primary School hopes to use the highly interactive environment in the No Heavy School Bag programme to nurture pupils' personal development, and cultivate qualities such as curiosity and confidence. English teacher Mrs Agnes Choh remarks, "The pupils are very much more engaged and interested in their work during No Heavy School Bag classes! Quite a few pupils have shown a change; they are keen to try out new things, improve their skills and are eager to improve on their work."

Legends come to life as pupils explore literary classics through animation.

Mr Jahangeer Md Jahabar, the head of department for Mathematics, observes, "Some pupils have no voice in the usual class setting. But through the No Heavy School Bag programme, they become more confident in contributing to class discussions which are posted online. We see pupils who are weaker in the subject participating in the Mathematics blog, sharing their solutions and posting questions."

As for the original intention of the programme - to lighten the load of pupils' schoolbags - it has succeeded on days when No Heavy School Bag classes are held and no textbooks are needed. However, the programme is still in its pilot phase, and these classes comprise a small part of the curriculum and are used to complement standard classroom teaching. The school plans to implement the programme on a larger scale in the near future.

Nonetheless, the vision of a textbook-free environment has already been planted in pupils' minds. Pri 5 pupil Ahmad Dzaki Bin Osman quips, "I look forward to having all my lessons like those in No Heavy School Bag rooms in the future - with textbooks on the internet so that we don't have to bring anything at all!"

Schools who provide storage facilities, may dispense with textbooks students need to bring every day applications, exercise books, stationery, utensils, water bottles or other items to and from school. The school should review the adequacy of storage devices, such as lockers, bookcases, shelves, etc.; and, if possible within the available space, because of the school's budget should, purchase the right amount of equipment.

Home school student lockers should strengthen the training students to use lockers to store items of good habits, and to ensure the proper and effective use of student lockers.

Schools may also consider using student desk drawer.