GEORGE TOWN: Their peers envy them because the pupils of SK Seri Permai in Bayan Lepas go to school with much lighter bags.
The days of hauling school bags weighing as much as over 5kg or above 20% of their body weight are over for them after the school took the effort to re-design their school desks.
All it took was the inclusion of lockable drawers – one each for pupils of the morning and afternoon schooling sessions – on top of side compartments for their water bottles and stationery plus space under the table for school bags.
The tables let pupils leave most of their textbooks in the drawers, so their bags are only for carrying homework.
This simple yet effective solution has led SK Seri Permai to be shortlisted for the 10 World’s Best School Prizes (WBSP) for Innovation category.
The award, organised by the T4 Education based in United Kingdom, involves thousands of schools around the world and offers a prize of US$50,000 (RM231,750) for the winner.
School headmaster Mohammad Sabarullah Shaik Ismail, who was behind the idea, calls it the Smart and Easy Table (SnET) 2.0.
“I saw pupils carrying heavy bags and decided a solution was needed. SnET was a team effort of the children, Education Department and Institut Kemahiran Mara in Sungai Petani,” he said.
The tables were in use since 2020, and the design went through a few rounds of improvements.
“We started with 800 tables at a cost of RM100 each.
“We are looking at the bigger picture here, which is to create a conducive and enjoyable study environment.
“And the unintended benefit is that the pupils’ textbooks last longer with less wear and tear,” added Mohammad Sabarullah.
Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin congratulated the school for SnET, saying the innovative idea has put the joy back on the faces of the children as they don’t have to worry about heavy school bags anymore.
SK Seri Permai’s former Parents and Teachers Association chairman Sharizal Md Nor, whose tenure ended on June 10, said he was proud of the school for being shortlisted for the recognition.
“We were all involved in this, and it is a proud moment for the school and the country,” added the former school alumni.
Heavy schools bags for young students is a concern in many countries after it was found that students risk developing back problems and muscle strain from the heavy load.
