By Charissa Luci-Atienza
A woman lawmaker wants to require all educational institutions to provide left-handed armchairs.
(PIXABAY / MANILA BULLETIN)
Antipolo Rep. Cristina "Chiqui" Roa-Puno has filed House Bill 7109 to promote the equal development of students, including the 10 percent of the student population who are left-handed.
"About 10 percent of the world population is left-handed, and every day they struggle to live in a right-handed world. Currently, left-handed students are left without a choice but to work with right-handed armchairs, " she said.
According to studies, a right-handed armchair does not offer left-handed students the same arm support that right-handed students enjoy, causing back, neck and shoulder pain to the left-handed students, Roa-Puno cited.
"The inefficient and awkward writing position that some left-handers must adopt in this kind of armchair likewise causes slower handwriting, placing many left-handed students at a real disadvantage on important timed examinations. Left-handed students are thus placed at a learning handicap, " she said.
"Indeed, it is high time that we address the plight of our left-handed students by providing them left-handed armchairs, " she said.
House Bill 7109 or proposed Mandatory Provision for Left-Handed Armchairs in Educational Institutions Act provides that it shall be obligatory on all educational institutions, both private and public, to provide such number of left-handed armchairs equivalent to at least 10 percent of the student population.
The bill tasks the Department of Education (DepEd), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to adopt measures to ensure the full implementation of the proposed Act.