WE REFER to the feedback on students' participation in sports ("Why the young aren't taking part in sports" by Mr Tong Yong Sheng, last Saturday; and "Need to reshape sporting culture" by Mr Peter Chan Teng Hong, Monday).
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is committed to providing all students with the knowledge, skills and values to lead a physically active and healthy lifestyle. Through the increase in Physical Education (PE) periods, students' base participation in sports and physical activities has been increased to at least two hours per week.
The 2014 PE Syllabus helps students develop fundamental motor skills, gain exposure to a variety of sports and participate recreationally in physical activities. For example, at secondary level, they learn at least six sports and take part in at least three intra-school sports competitions.
We have stepped up the recruitment of PE teachers and the provision of in-service training programmes.
The Physical Education and Sports Teacher Academy, set up in 2011, has been providing dedicated professional development for PE and sports co-curricular activity (CCA) teachers. In this way, we aim to have all PE classes conducted by skilled PE teachers.
There are opportunities for interested students to play more sports. Today, about one-third of our total student population, or some 160,000 students, participate in sports CCAs, where they play sports recreationally or compete in inter-school competitions. The rest are in uniformed groups, performing arts groups, clubs and societies.
The MOE will work with individual schools facing challenges in achieving an appropriate balance.
While schools strive to meet the diverse needs of their students, it is not possible to cater to every demand for a specific CCA. This is where parents may wish to tap the range of sporting opportunities available in the community, for example, Sport Singapore's ActiveSG learn-to-play sessions, workshops and camps.
With strong parental and community support, we are confident of even greater student participation in sports and games, with the right balance of healthy competition and recreation.
Liew Wei Li (Ms)
Director
Student Development Curriculum Division
Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is committed to providing all students with the knowledge, skills and values to lead a physically active and healthy lifestyle. Through the increase in Physical Education (PE) periods, students' base participation in sports and physical activities has been increased to at least two hours per week.
The 2014 PE Syllabus helps students develop fundamental motor skills, gain exposure to a variety of sports and participate recreationally in physical activities. For example, at secondary level, they learn at least six sports and take part in at least three intra-school sports competitions.
We have stepped up the recruitment of PE teachers and the provision of in-service training programmes.
The Physical Education and Sports Teacher Academy, set up in 2011, has been providing dedicated professional development for PE and sports co-curricular activity (CCA) teachers. In this way, we aim to have all PE classes conducted by skilled PE teachers.
There are opportunities for interested students to play more sports. Today, about one-third of our total student population, or some 160,000 students, participate in sports CCAs, where they play sports recreationally or compete in inter-school competitions. The rest are in uniformed groups, performing arts groups, clubs and societies.
The MOE will work with individual schools facing challenges in achieving an appropriate balance.
While schools strive to meet the diverse needs of their students, it is not possible to cater to every demand for a specific CCA. This is where parents may wish to tap the range of sporting opportunities available in the community, for example, Sport Singapore's ActiveSG learn-to-play sessions, workshops and camps.
With strong parental and community support, we are confident of even greater student participation in sports and games, with the right balance of healthy competition and recreation.
Liew Wei Li (Ms)
Director
Student Development Curriculum Division
Ministry of Education
