It's all game: Sports compulsory in Andhra schools

Hyderabad: Union Sports minister M S Gill this week spoke of the need to make sports part of the school curriculum. But Andhra Pradesh is already many steps ahead with plans in place to introduce sports as a compulsory subject from the academic year 2011.

The government plans to introduce sports as a compulsory subject in schools from class 6 to 9 and every school will have to focus on one individual sport and one team sport.

"One teacher should be there to teach sports in all levels in schools. I am trying to introduce it from next year," said M Varaprasad, School Education Minister, Andhra Pradesh.

Educationists say this is a positive step forward but point out lack of playgrounds should not mean only the theory part of sports is taught.

"Playgrounds are not there. Our children deserve better and play is a minimum thing for a child. It is not a luxury. Education is not about what happens in a classroom. It is about everything that happens in and out of the classroom," said Isidore Philips, educationist.

Advertisement

It is an initiative that has got the 19,000 physical education teachers in both government and private schools very excited. In fact, 40 of them have sat down and prepared the syllabus for each class. Schools can choose from 10 games that include archery, kabaddi, football and hockey.