Back-breaking job for kids

Pupils' schoolbags are far too heavy for them to shoulder, a primary school survey in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province revealed, with the heaviest for a 10-year-old weighing 7.8 kilograms, West China Metropolis News reported.

Bags were loaded with study necessities including books, stationery and a cup, but weights increased as students progressed to higher grades. Hou Guangwei, a doctor at No 363 hospital in Chengdu, said the weight of a schoolbag should be less than 15 percent of its owner's weight. One parent voiced hope that schools could provide a shelf for each student to hold personal belongings.