Increasing youth interest in sports

Catherine R. Apostol

THE newly-established National Academy of Sports (NAS) is set to admit its first batch of learners by August 2021, according to the Department of Education.

The NAS, an attached institution of DepEd, was created through Republic Act No. 11470 in close coordination with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). It aims to develop more future world-class Filipino athletes and increase youth interest in sports.

The NAS envisions itself at the forefront of global sports development and education, producing well-rounded student-athletes equipped with the ability and passion to become sources of national pride.

The DepEd expressed excitement over the inauguration of the NAS, citing the need for a specialized institution that will develop the skills and character of promising student-athletes.

For learners who are really interested in sports, this is not only a phase in their lives, but sports as a science and sports as an art, the DepEd said. In addition is our eventual participation in regional and global sports events. For those who are into sports, they will be taught at the National Academy of Sports – and this is a very attractive proposition.

Meanwhile, NAS is currently conducting a logo and hymn-making contest in preparation for its inaugural school year. For guidelines and important updates, the public may check NAS System’s official social media accounts at www.facebook.com/nassystemph, www.twitter.com/nassystemph, and www.instagram.com/ nassystemph.

Last year, the DepEd teamed up with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) on the implementation and establishment of the National Academy of Sports (NAS) to develop more promising students in sports.

The purpose of the establishment of the National Academy of Sports is to implement quality and enhanced secondary education program, integrated with a special curriculum on sports, the DepEd earlier said.

The NAS was founded on June 9 by the virtue of signing the Republic Act No. 11470 or the National Sports Academy Act to provide an avenue for secondary students who wants to pursue professional sports.

Forming a new strand in the education sector, the NAS System aims to design a special curriculum for athletic scholars, provide holistic quality education to the learners who are excelling in sports, and integrate all sports academy to one governance and management system.

NAS System also intends to develop, strengthen, and integrate future campuses into the system and provide world-class sports facilities to produce globally-competitive pl ayer s.

The author is Teacher

III

*** at Porac National High School