I am an 80-year-old pensioner and a grandmother of four boys, the oldest 20 and the youngest nine. I have spent the best part of my life teaching both at primary and secondary levels.

I simply cannot bear to see any more children bent double like old men under their heavy satchels. Unbelievable but true, I have seen pupils fall back-wards because of the load on their backs.

Secondary school students at Gozo College Senior School have no home class. They have to move to different rooms for every lesson, sometimes even having to climb long flights of stairs, always carrying their ‘cross’ on their back.

No wonder so many kids end up with sclerosis of the spine and have to be operated upon.

I know there are lockers but being on the move all the time is precious loss of time. How more sensible was the old system when children stayed put and the teacher visited the home class.

To add insult to injury, since some of the textbooks are meant to last for the whole five years, the satchels become very heavy. Imagine having to carry six or more of these thick books on your back for almost eight hours a day. If you think I am exaggerating, try weighing a satchel with those books inside. It will weigh more, or as much, as the child does.

I plead to the authorities to do something about this. I am sure it will not break the bank to start supplying books meant to last for one scholastic year.

Remember that the thousands of boys and girls who have to put up with this situation have no voice to air their grievances. It is up to those responsible for them to right this wrong.