Education
Uttarakhand declares ten bag-free days for students in state schools
As part of the National Education Policy 2020, Uttarakhand has declared that it will introduce ten “bag-free” days in each academic session for all state schools. On the last Saturday of every month, which will be a bag-free day, students from classes 6 to 12 will not have to carry heavy textbooks to school.
The official release stated that these days, students of upper primary and secondary schools will take part in various activities that match their interests and abilities. The aim is to promote holistic development of students by exposing them to activities such as pottery, woodwork, calligraphy, health education, communication skills, nature conservation, welding, casting, stitching, robotics, soil management, and machine learning.
The State Education Minister, Dhan Singh Rawat, said, “The decision has been made for the all-round development of school children so that they can also improve their special skills that they have a natural talent for.”
The bag-free initiative is already in place in Uttarakhand’s primary schools, where it is known as “Pratibha Diwas,” and allows students to choose the activities they want to do. The recent decision to expand this initiative to upper primary and secondary schools has been welcomed by various parent and teacher associations.
The scheme is waiting for a government order to be officially implemented, but it is likely to be effective from the next academic session that begins in April. The move is regarded as an important step towards enhancing the overall development of students by offering them a balanced educational experience.
(With inputs from PTI)