It is proposed to use compactly designed teaching materials in schools to reduce the burden of students' bags.
The heavy curriculum and the resulting abundance of teaching materials lead to the overloading of students' bags, especially those of primary school students, negatively affecting their health and physical development. For this reason, it is recommended to optimize the curriculum and use integrated, more compact teaching materials instead of several additional resources for the same subject.
It is interesting to consider how effective the use of digital teaching materials can be in terms of lightening students' bags.
Education expert Elchin Afandi, commenting on the topic to AzEdu.az, stated that it is crucial for the information provided in textbooks to be structured based on the Cabinet of Ministers' decision regarding textbooks to reduce the burden of students' bags:
"That decision stipulates that the information should be concise, accurate, and scientifically based. We must also strive to publish textbooks in the format prescribed by legislation.
In recent years, the Ministry of Science and Education, taking into account the weight of textbooks, has been publishing textbooks for different educational levels by semester. This is a step designed to prevent the heaviness of students' teaching materials and school bags.
Voluminous textbooks and heavy bags can lead to spinal curvature and scoliosis in students. In such cases, students experience difficulty carrying their bags and feel discomfort. Therefore, this factor must be kept in mind.
Curriculum optimization should involve providing students with information covering essential topics. There is no point in preparing extensive texts and leading students to learn information through indirect means. Providing concise information on topics important to students is sufficient.
In international practice, homework may not be assigned to reduce the academic load. Students stay at school after lessons and work on subjects where they are weak. If we also apply this approach, students' academic load will decrease.
As for digital textbook materials, these are also effective in terms of lightening bags. If all textbooks are collected on one tablet, why not? The weight of a tablet is approximately that of a single book.
Of course, there are also certain difficulties. The issue of students' eyesight weakening, in particular, must be considered. For this, it is advisable for parents to provide protective glasses. Digital textbooks are an advantage in terms of accessibility to lessons. If any student cannot obtain a textbook, a digital textbook is efficient and accessible in this regard".
