Memorable ’No Bag Day’ resonates with children
By Ali Amiri
Staff writer
On Monday, November 20, Avisa, a 12-year-old sixth-grader, along with all her schoolmates at an elementary school in Tehran received good news: “You don’t need to bring your bags to school tomorrow.”
“They told us not to bring our bags,” Avisa says, lighting up as she remembers, “It made me really, very happy.”
The idea of a “No Bag Day” for elementary students, however, had been in the works for a long time. The introduction of such a day in Iran’s public education dates back to about 10 years ago. At that time, the administration was planning to close schools on Thursdays.
The country’s Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, along with the Deputy Ministry of Education, were working on a program to replace the traditional elementary schools curriculum on Thursdays with a joyful one for a bag-free day at schools.
At that time, the purpose of planning such a day in elementary schools was for students to attend school on Thursdays without their bags, and instead of reading their textbooks, they would engage in other activities.
The plan was supposed to be implemented on a trial basis in a number of schools in the country starting from 2014, and given that it yielded positive results, to be extended to other schools from 2015 onwards.
While the plan had its supporters and opponents, with some believing that it would be impossible to run a classroom without books and bags, the Ministry of Education announced in June 2015 that the matter would be referred to the council of deputies, and the implementation of the plan would depend on its decision.
In other words, the plan’s implementation was put on hold, until, in line with the goal of providing comprehensive education to students and enhancing productivity in the teaching-learning process, April 23, 2023 was designated as No Bag Day. That day, elementary students in Tehran went to school without their bags and textbooks for the first time ever.
The official news regarding yesterday’s No Bag Day was announced on Sunday, November 19. Avisa, relieved of the burden of a heavy backpack that typically contains up to seven textbooks and notebooks, along with a pencil case, lunchbox, and water bottle, went to school on Tuesday.
Her younger brother, Abtin, a seven-year-old first-grader, was also excited about the bag-free day. “They told us not to bring books, and that we’re just going to play,” he says.
However, education did not come to a halt on Tuesday. According to the educational authorities, students were provided with more space for playing, learning, developing various skills, and gaining new experiences.
The siblings’ experiences corroborate this, as both of them immensely enjoyed the No Bag Day – even though Abtin had no complaints about the weight of his backpack. However, instead of sitting through their regular classes, Avisa and her classmates “made handicrafts and read books.”
Similarly, Abtin and his peers participated in various activities, including playing, drawing, making handicrafts, and, to top it all off, preparing and enjoying a fruit salad together.
“It was such a fun day,” he says.
Fortunately, the No Bag Day was a resounding success among children and parents alike, and was celebrated with great enthusiasm. Each child chose a specific skill and, based on that, they collaborated with their classmates in group and individual activities including crafting, cooking, and sewing small clothes. After engaging in these activities, they proceeded to play group games in the school yard.
Some students went the extra mile to entertain their classmates by donning traditional and local attire, reciting passages from the Shahnameh, performing folk songs and poems, and even staging theatrical performances.
Above and beyond that, some parents actively participated in this ceremony and brought various foods to enhance the students’ celebration.
Avisa, who is already an avid reader, had the opportunity to enjoy reading storybooks and educational magazines under the guidance of her teacher.
“It was different, it was fun, and to sum it up, it was good,” she says, expressing her desire for the day to be repeated. The communal enjoyment and camaraderie she experienced with her classmates resonated with her childhood spirit.
Abtin shared the same opinion, expressing his wish for such days to be frequent. When asked how often he would like to have No Bag Days, he answered, “Once a week would do.”