A school in Kerala has a pick-up facility for heavy bags of its students
The van unloads the bags in the school veranda from where students can pick them up as soon as they reach the school. (Representational) The van unloads the bags in the school veranda from where students can pick them up as soon as they reach the school. (Representational)
A Kerala school has freed its students from carrying heavy bags all the way to school. As part of an initiative launched last year, the GM Upper Primary School in Kattampally sends a van to pick-up points to collect bags of those children who do not take the bus service because of financial constraints, The Times of India has reported. These children are no longer bogged down by the burden of their bags and are walking freely to school.
According to the headmistress Gangabai N, over 300 students currently avail this facility. The move is also said to be encouraging students to rely less on vehicles and promote walking.
Fathimathul Rafa, a Class VII student, told TOI, “It’s fun walking without a bag.”
The van unloads the bags in the school veranda from where students can pick them up as soon as they reach the school. Transport in-charge N M Ravi, the teacher behind the initiative, told TOI, “We introduced the facility last year… as many students found it difficult to carry heavy bags to school.”
The school is currently providing the service for free. It does, however, plan to start charging Rs 15 to Rs 20 per student in order to meet the costs of the operation. While the students can walk without the baggage to school, they still have to carry it while going back home as the drop-off facility is not yet available. The school has said the move wasn’t made due to confusion regarding dropping off points for the bag.
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