Textbooks and notebooks are essential for learning; thus, these are very important parts of a student’s life. Sadly, books and notebooks can be so heavy.
With students having around eight to ten subjects during the school year, this could mean also having eight to ten textbooks plus eight to ten notebooks! The combined weight of all these items could reach around 5kg or more – and that’s not counting the weight of the bag itself and the other school supplies the student needs.
Photo credit: Fmdms Silang / Facebook
Considering that most public school students could not afford the rather expensive trolley bags, they have to bring all their things in backpacks. With their small bodies, particularly elementary students, the backpacks are too heavy for them to carry.
Moreover, many of these students even walk at least 1 kilometer to reach their school and another kilometer (or more!) to go home. The weigh of the bags could have permanent ill effects on their still developing bodies.
But even those studying in private schools also have the same dilemma about the weight of the students’ bags.
Photo credit: Fmdms Silang / Facebook
Father Michael Donoher Memorial School has found a solution to this problem. Instead of regular armchairs, the school provides its students with special armchairs that have built-in lockers.
The chairs were built in such a way that it has a box under the seat where the students can leave their notebooks and books. With that being possible, the kids can go home with lighter bags, without worrying that their things might get lost in their classroom.
While Father Michael Donoher Memorial School is a private institution, the idea of the armchairs with built-in lockers could actually be of great help to public schools.
Photo credit: Fmdms Silang / Facebook
Public school teacher Pablo Juan Manalo reposted a photo of the special armchair, calling for the Department of Education (DepEd) to consider this kind of chair for students across the country.
“Dear DepEd People… pag-isipan po ninyo ang ganitong type ng upuan. This would greatly help our students to go to school w/ ease since they don’t need to carry ALL of their stuff. In addition, it could maximize the space in a classroom. Thank you and mabuhay!” the teacher wrote on Facebook.
Do you agree with him? Definitely!
Hi! We would just like to say that this challenged has been taken by a group of online people so called CHAIRS FOR SCHOOL MOVEMENT. The same design of armchairs has been donated to CAN-AGA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in SIBONGA CEBU. https://www.facebook.com/chairsforschool/photos/a.146801963339359/146809946671894/?type=3&theater
To whom it may concern,
NOT acceptable as standard for students chairs because student chair were built WITHOUT any storage on bottom side & around sides.
To prevent students do MISCONDUCTS CHEATING during examinations.
In any countries a standard regulations.
Thank You for understanding.
aaa, were you physically present when chairs without storage on the bottom were selected by DepEd? If you weren’t, then your view of why chairs without storage underneath were chosen is pure speculation. Do you or the general public know whether seats with bottom storage were even on a list of available types of chairs at the time the chair design was chosen? Children’s spines are very important and can be damaged by carrying heavy backpacks. If you believe there is widespread cheating by children who somehow or the other have answers hidden in the storage under their seats, how about having the children sit randomly at desks that are not their own during examinations and/or having a teacher aide monitor the students during their exams? Children’s backs and spines and shoulders are important and I think DepEd should invest in the student chairs with storage under the seats. I do have a daughter in 4th grade.
Or.. just build a locker room?
it is not very much applicable in the sense that they have to use thier books at home for assignments, projects and homeworks. Even more so on their reviewing the lessons.
However, their can be a solution to that. For instance, taking pictures through cellphone cameras. But the problem will be the addictive property of gadgets. there are elementary students who will become gadget-minded, that is, they will only be dependent in gadgets only. if gadget is absent then there will be no lesson at all.
I would rather suggest to go on the traditional way. instead of that “arm chair cabinet” solution, why not let the government buy or provide cable cars, house-to-school road (like the farm-to-market road), and/or school ferry for those in a remote area along the river. build more bridges in the provinces instead of just focusing on the traffic in Manila.
actually there are some schools here in qc who are already doing that lalagyan na lang ng lock nung bagong gagamit pag nagpalit ng school year. In Sto. Cristo Elementary School here in Bago-Bantay QC has been doing for the past 7 or 8 years.