Schools across Telangana mandate 10 hours of physical play weekly for students

To promote sports at the school level, the department has decided to roll out a sports academic calendar, which will be on the lines of the academic calendar, from this academic year.

Hyderabad: In a move aimed at enhancing the well-being and holistic development among students, the School Education department has mandated at least ten hours of physical play in a week for each class in all schools in the State. The decision was recently taken during a review meeting held on streamlining the school games.

Apart from playing a sport or game, the schools have been asked to educate students about the importance of physical education and benefits like Kho-Kho, Kabaddi, and Volley Ball among other games. They were also asked to explain to students about the anatomy, kinesiology, physiology, psychology, Yoga, importance of balanced diet and nutrition and learning self-defense techniques.

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The school headmasters have been asked to motivate parents about the importance of extending special coaching if their wards were identified with a potential to excel in sports.

Meanwhile, to promote sports at the school level, the department has decided to roll out a sports academic calendar, which will be on the lines of the academic calendar, from this academic year.

The State School Games Federation has been asked to prepare the sports calendar that is expected to detail month-wise games and sports competitions to be held in schools besides the class-wise play hours in the schools.

As part of the plan, under-14, 17 and 19 competitions will be organised at mandal, district and State level and best players will be selected for further grooming for the national level competitions.

Presently, there are more than 26,000 government schools in the State. While there are 2,956 physical education posts, 2,526 are currently working. The department intends to make use of these physical education teachers to impart sports training to students.

Further, to promote games and sports among school students, the department has been extending sports grants of Rs.5,000 for primary schools and Rs.10,000 for high schools, depending on the enrollments.