Call for Ministry of Education to designate Active Schools

As a measure to support the call for a more strategic National Policy on Physical Education and Sport, I am calling on the Ministry of Education to designate Active Schools in the six regions as a way to monitor the role of Physical Education in schools.

For the next three to five years, starting September 2009, 12 schools should be monitored to ensure that the children who are to be exposed would be far more aware of the role of PE as a tool for physical, mental and social development.

Active Schools are defined as schools that provide students with sufficient opportunities to get active to the extent that it makes a positive contribution to their health.

The aim of Active Schools is to give children the tools, motivation and opportunities to be more active throughout school years into adulthood.

The suggestion therefore is to select two schools in each of the six regions at the Primary & Junior High and Secondary levels to be subject to the following:

- schools should have male and female PE teachers
- schools should have proper facilities to offer PE
- have out of school hours learning programme for adults in surrounding communities
- develop a wider network at the regional and national levels (health, education, transportation sectors)

Key outcomes will focus on:

- increased participation from boys and girls
- increased participation from the community
- increased participation from people with learning disabilities

The role of PE in schools has been understated and the recommendations above are just a way of ensuring that the subject is taken much more seriously than it is now.