"He should be in first grade, but he ended up in second"
On Nazira's table lie her son Koshoy's textbooks and notebooks. "He went to second grade this year, although by age he should have been in first. This happened because of the new system," she shares.The main problem, according to her, lies in the double burden that Koshoy faces. The second-grade curriculum turned out to be too complex for his age. "I, as an adult, cannot explain the material from the textbook. It causes him stress," Nazira adds.
In addition to the complexity of the content, the weight of the backpack is also a concern. "Sometimes he needs to take all four books. Try lifting such a load yourself. I wouldn't agree to carry it to work every day," the mother says.
"By the time you get home, you're already tired": a child's opinion
Koshoy confirms that his backpack is indeed heavy."These books are very heavy. When I lift them, my shoulders start to hurt. After school, I come home and just lie down because I'm tired, and then I only do other things," the second grader explains, adding that he tried on a friend's backpack, which also turned out to be heavy.
Koshoy's older brother, Ramazan, helps him with the backpack: "I help him carry it. His backpack is heavy even for me. Mine is much lighter."
Exact data: 3 kg excluding additional items
To understand the real situation, the Kaktus.media editorial team decided to weigh Koshoy's backpack on a regular school day. He has four classes, and the weight of just the textbooks and notebooks for three subjects (math, Russian language, "Me and the World") amounted to 3 kilograms. This does not include the weight of supplies for the fourth class - Art, where he needs to bring an album, paints, and more. In this case, the weight of the backpack significantly exceeds 3 kg.According to regulations, the weight of a backpack for students in grades 1-2 should not exceed 1.5-2 kg. Thus, Koshoy's load is nearly double the permissible limits.
Medical perspective: possible consequences
Orthopedist Maksat Mamasadykov warns about the negative consequences of regularly carrying heavy backpacks for children's health."Children get tired quickly, and their muscles weaken. This can lead to valgus deformity of the feet, spinal curvature, and other serious problems later on," the specialist says. Possible consequences may include protrusions and hernias of the spine, as well as chronic headaches.
"If a child often has leg pain, it is not always related to growth, as many think. Often, it is the result of improper load," Mamasadykov adds.
Parents' suggestions: what can be changed?
Nazira, like many other parents, believes that systemic changes in the educational system are necessary.- Adjustment of the curriculum: returning to a program more suitable for children in the early grades.
- Technical solutions: storing heavy textbooks in the classroom or switching to electronic versions.
- Discussion with teachers: the possibility of receiving assignments electronically to avoid the need to carry all books home.
Many parents from different parts of the country express their concerns about their children's health.
"The textbooks are too heavy, the curriculum is inadequate, and homework becomes a real challenge for students," they note.
"The backpacks feel heavy, as if they contain bricks."
"The content of the textbooks does not match the children's age. The tasks on the first pages of the first-grade textbooks are like: 'Read and write...' This is unacceptable for children of this age. There are 50 students in the class, and it is extremely difficult for the teacher to explain the material; all topics have to be reviewed at home."
"Children who were immediately enrolled in the second grade are now burdened with textbooks and assignments at the fourth-grade level. The question arises: on what basis were such decisions made?"
No response has yet been received from the Ministry of Education regarding the inquiry from Kaktus.media.
