Schoolbags set to lose weight

The backbreaking load children carry to primary schools may soon lighten considerably with a publishing house launching a series of textbooks that incorporates four subjects in a single volume.

Sangam National: The Orient Longman Term Book is a set of 15 integrated books meant for students of class one to five, each of which contain lessons in four subjects -- English, mathematics, science and social studies.

Three books have been prepared for each class for every academic year.

"The genesis of this concept lies in the recommendations of the Yashpal Committee, which spoke about the weight a student carries to school. Other then reducing a student's burden, we also wanted to make learning a more pleasurable experience for young children," Mukul Sahgal, publisher (schools), Orient Longman Pvt Ltd, told said in New Delhi on Wednesday.

While the books are based on NCERT syllabus, they have been treated in such a way that they are related to the daily lives of the children, said Raj Mani, vice -resident (school division) of the Hyderabad-based publishing house.

"It is designed to make the children active participants in the learning process and help stimulate their thinking," he said.

Mani said that the Government of Pondicherry had already introduced the books in its schools while talks were on with school authorities in north India.