Montenegro lacks regulations on school bag weight limits

The Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation of Montenegro has confirmed that there are currently no regulations establishing a maximum allowable weight for student school bags, either in kilograms or as a percentage of a student's body mass.

Reports indicate that ten-year-old students frequently carry more than five kilograms of books and supplies. For instance, a fifth-grade student's bag can weigh 5.325 kilograms on a six-lesson day, excluding water and snacks. This weight increases significantly when physical education equipment and art supplies are added.

While neighboring countries like Slovenia and Croatia have recommended limits (10% and 15% of body mass, respectively), Montenegro lacks such a framework. The Ministry stated that the issue of student burden and the amount of daily instructional material will be addressed during upcoming education reforms, with potential solutions including increased digitalization and allowing some materials to remain at school.