Young politicians for lighter schoolbags

TALLINN - The Estonian Parliament was first convened sitting was held at
Toompea Palace on Jan. 4, 1921. Eighty years later that date became
the day of a children's parliamentary session organized by ELO
(Organization of Successful Children). The main themes discussed by
the children, aged 12 to 18, dealt with school problems.

Education Minister Tonis Lukas opened the session with a short speech
about school, education and high technology development. He noted
that all the places in the parliamentary chamber (the Estonian
Parliament has 101 seats, but rarely more than sixty members take
part in regular sittings) were occupied. He also presented the book
"On the Top of Education Mountain."

Seventeen-year-old Kuldar Kauri was named parliamentary chairman with 68 votes.

"I haven't thought about being a politician yet. But it's a good
beginning for my career," he said with a wide smile.

After the election of the chairman, psychologist Tonu Ots offered
some words about school problems. The main problem, he said, is
inside the child.

When Ots finished his speech, the "parliament" began debates about
school problems as children see them. The first objection aired was
that the school day is too long. According to present law, the school
week for eighth graders cannot exceed 32 hours, for ninth graders 34
hours, and a maximum of 35 class hours per week is in place for 10th,
11th and 12th graders. According to the students, almost every school
has eight classes a day.

If teens are involved in sports after school, they have no free time
at all because of homework, they complained.

Speakers were also not satisfied with the format of schoolbooks. They
said textbooks are too large and heavy. Because of that a schoolbag
weighs about five kilograms. It's too much considering that the
average eighth grader weighs around 40 to 45 kilos.

Then the opposition took the floor. Those speakers appealed to
statistics. "Estonia is in second place among 180 countries with its
school-books," they said.

They also remarked that homework is not a big problem because all the
material has to be learnt during classes. Pupils only have to check
what they have already learnt at home.

"In practice the majority mostly talk about the endless tasks but
really do not do anything," they added.

Maria Taliharm's speech was so good Lukas said if he were the prime
minister he would make her the minister of education.

So the parliament decided to approve some amendments to the law on
schools and the educational system. After voting, three amendments
were adopted: teachers are not to assign homework for holidays and
weekends, schoolbags are not to be more than one-tenth of a pupil's
weight and to limit the school week to a maximum of 35 hours.

At the end of the sitting, Lukas thanked the participants for being
so-well prepared and responded to some aspects of the amendments they
had passed.

"Teachers shouldn't be blamed for the huge amount of homework,
because they too are compelled to carry out school-program
requirements," he said.

Lukas added that according to statistical data the average Estonian
pupil spends less time on his homework than a similar child in
neighboring countries. He also spoke about the new format of
schoolbooks for first graders. One book will comprise all the
subjects.

"And there is also a resolution which forbids first graders to carry
bags heavier than two kilos," concluded the minister.