Exactly 61 years after the University Education Commission, headed by Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, recommended the introduction of a meaningful programe for sports and physical education into the curriculum, Kerala is all set to make history.
On November 1 this year, Kerala will become the first State in the country to have sports and physical education integrated as part of the educational curriculum. A decision to this effect was taken here recently at a high-level meeting attended by Education Minister M.A. Baby and Sports and Youth Affairs Minister M. Vijayakumar.
Giving further details of the programme to The Hindu on Wednesday, Kerala State Sports Council president T.P. Dasan said the introduction of the subject would be carried out in phases utilising the services of existing physical education teachers and the periods set apart for it.
At the lower primary stage, the new subject will be for one period on all working days. Two hours will be set apart for the purpose of imparting training to students in Classes V to VIII.
In the case of students of Class XI, it will be one hour a week. The introduction of the subject in Class X and the Higher Secondary stream and the provision for further periods will be decided next year when the government considers the revision of syllabi. According to the syllabus approved by the Curriculum Committee for the new subject, there will be only practical training for students from Class I to VII. At the high school level, students will also have to study theory, though on a limited scale.
Mr. Dasan said the introduction of the new subject as part of the curriculum would have a ripple effect as it would not only ensure students keeping up a certain level of physical fitness than at present but also help in unearthing talent from a much wider cross-section of students. This is important as only children between 15 and 18 years are eligible to take part in the Asian and Commonwealth Youth Games and Summer Youth Olympics.
Courtesy: The Hindu
From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Sunday 27 September 2009, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.