Instructors to help primary school kids take to sports

GURUGRAM: The education department will be assigning physical training instructors for children in government primary schools from the new academic year.

Till now, physical training instructors (PTI) were only assigned for students class 6 onwards.

The department has orally instructed the physical trainers in schools to ensure that primary school children are involved in sports activities.

District elementary education officer Premlata Yadav said that the move was meant to introduce children to sports at a younger age.

“Till now, the class teachers of primary sections were responsible for making students play games and participate in other sports activities. From the beginning of the new academic session, we will ensure that primary school children are taught by physical training instructors. Sports and games are crucial for holistic growth; familiarising children to sports at a younger age helps them in the longer run,” Yadav said.

Currently, schools in the state have a physical training instructor for classes 6-8 and a demonstrator in physical education (DPE) for classes 9-12.

In primary schools, the junior basic trainers are tasked with both teaching and on-ground performance.

“In primary schools, there is hardly any dedicated sports activity. We try our best to make the children play or do some exercises. If a separate teacher can be assigned for primary school children, it will greatly benefit them. It will motivate the students to take an interest in sports,” said Pardeep Kumar, administrative head of the Government Primary School at Surat Nagar in Sector 104.

While the education department has orally communicated the new plans to the PTI and DPE, an order regarding the same will be issued soon.

“While the message has been delivered, we will be sending a written order notifying all schools and teachers. Dedicated physical instructors for primary school children would mean that their health is given importance in crucial years,” said Satyanarayan Yadav, department Mathematics specialist who is privy to the development.

The PTIS and DPES assigned to middle and senior schools would be tasked with overseeing sports activities of students in the primary section as well, he added.