Students to receive thin cover books this academic year

The Ministry of Education has announced that students will receive notebooks with thin covers instead of hardcover monitor books this year.

Deputy Minister of the Education Ministry, Ahmed Ihsan, has stated that this change was implemented to reduce the weight of school bags and alleviate the burden on students.

The book lists provided to students this year have been updated to reflect this change, and bookshops have responded by importing books with thinner covers. The new books also come with cellophane covers for added protection.

Parents have expressed concerns regarding the weight of school bags for quite some time. While the use of tablets was expected to reduce the load, many subjects still require the use of physical books.

According to medical professionals, if children carry a load equivalent to their body weight on their backs, it can have negative effects on their growth and may lead to issues such as back pain and issues related to the curve joining the neck and chest. Doctors advise that children should not carry more than 10 percent of their body weight on their backs to avoid such complications.