Heavy school bags, heavy burden: Why our children must be protected

On every school day in Ghana, it is common to see children between the ages of six and 14 struggling with oversized school bags.

Some are so weighed down that they can hardly walk upright, their tiny frames bent forward under the pressure.

Packed with textbooks, exercise books and learning materials for multiple subjects, these bags are often heavier than what their young bodies can safely carry.

As a Clinical Psychologist and Health Counsellor, I have encountered many children and adolescents who suffer from persistent back pain, posture problems and even early signs of spinal complications.

This is not an issue to be brushed aside as “part of growing up.”

It is a public health concern with long-term consequences, and it calls for urgent intervention from both the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Health crises

Children are in their critical stages of growth and development.

During the ages of one to 14, bones are still forming, muscles are not fully developed and the spine is delicate.

Subjecting them to daily physical strain in the form of heavy school bags places them at risk of permanent damage.

Medical research globally, and experiences from our hospitals locally, show that carrying a school bag weighing more than 10 to 15 per cent of a child’s body weight can cause persistent lower back pain, misalignment of the spine, shoulder and neck strain, reduced lung capacity due to chest compression, poor posture, balance and gait problems, and long-term musculoskeletal disorders.

Unfortunately, many children in Ghana carry bags that weigh nearly half their body weight.

Imagine a 25kg child carrying a 10kg bag every day—this is equivalent to an adult weighing 70kg carrying 28kg daily on their back.

No adult would tolerate this, yet we impose it on our children in the name of education.

Root cause

The problem does not lie in the children, but in the system.

Ghana’s school timetables often require pupils to study up to six or eight subjects in a single day. 

Each subject comes with a heavy textbook, multiple exercise books and sometimes supplementary materials.

Because most schools, both public and private, lack storage facilities such as lockers or shelves, children must carry all these materials to and from school daily.

What is intended to enhance learning ends up endangering their health. This situation is not only unfair but also preventable.

Collaboration

It is easy to assume that this is purely an educational matter.

But the truth is, heavy school bags are a public health hazard. 

The long-term consequences include higher rates of spinal deformities, chronic pain and reduced productivity in adulthood.

That is why I strongly advocate for a joint policy from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) to ban children aged one to 14 from carrying excessively heavy school bags.

This policy must go beyond a simple directive; it should include clear guidelines, strict monitoring and enforcement to protect the health of schoolchildren.

Just as government policies protect children from child labour and unsafe environments, this must be treated as another form of safeguarding.

Practical steps

To address this issue sustainably, schools should revise their schedules to reduce the number of subjects taught in a day.

For instance, instead of eight subjects, a child may only need to prepare for four per day.

Both public and private schools should provide simple storage facilities where pupils can keep books safely. Even low-cost cubbyholes or shared shelves can make a difference.

Gradually replacing bulky textbooks with tablets or digital resources can reduce loads significantly.

Pilot programmes in some schools worldwide have shown great success, and Ghana must begin moving in this direction.

Parents often buy oversized bags, thinking it is convenient, while teachers sometimes demand that children bring every textbook daily. Both groups must be sensitised to the dangers of heavy loads.

The School Health Education Programme (SHEP) should include spine and posture assessments during routine medical screenings, allowing early detection of strain-related issues.

If Ghana fails to address this issue, we risk creating a generation of young adults plagued with chronic musculoskeletal conditions.

Back pain is already one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. 

Allowing preventable cases to develop in childhood will only add to our national health burden.

Beyond the physical effects, there are psychological implications.

Children who experience chronic pain or discomfort may lose concentration in class, perform poorly, or even develop negative associations with school. Education should empower, not injure.

The time to act is now.

By banning heavy bags for children aged one to 14 and implementing safer alternatives, Ghana will not only protect the health of its children but also send a powerful message: we value the well-being of our future leaders as much as we value their academic success.

The Ghana Education Service and Ministry of Health must lead this charge with urgency and commitment.

This is not simply about lightening school bags—it is about protecting childhood, preserving health and securing a stronger future for the nation.

The writer is a lecturer at Kings and Queens Medical University College/Clinical Psychologist/health counsellor.

E-mail: elkayittey@gmail.com