Heavy schoolbags 'lead to back problems'

Laws curbing heavy schoolbags for pupils will prevent future problems like back pain, Fine Gael said today.

The party called on the Minister for Education to introduce legislation to limit the size and weight of text books to offset long-term medical problems.

Deputy Education spokesman David Stanton said: “Most students have just bought their school books for the coming year and it has struck them how heavy their schoolbags are.”

Mr Stanton cited a recent report from the Chiropractic Association of Ireland which warned that heavy school bags can lead to serious long-term problems like chronic back pain.

The National Parents Council supported the call for new legislation and also suggested practical steps like making school lockers compulsory and demanding publishers divide text books into separate modules for each term.

Spokeswoman Marion Lyon said: “This is a big problem coming up to September. You see slight students labouring under the weight of their bags.

“Lockers should be introduced in all schools and text books should be divided up so pupils don’t have to carry the full syllabus material for two or three years around with them.”

Mr Stanton, a former teacher and career guidance counsellor, made his comments as thousands of children prepare to return to school in the next week.

He went on: “I think it is now time that the minister took some action to limit the size and weight of these books as a health and safety matter for children.

The East Cork TD, who has raised the matter in the Dáil, said the only action he saw was leaflets sent out to schools.

He said he would return to the subject again in the Dáil after the summer recess.