AMMAN - Sport and physical activity are not luxuries, but rather critical elements in every child's cognitive and emotional development that build confidence, self-esteem and leadership skills, HRH Prince Feisal said on Wednesday.
Sport, he added, also has huge benefits for the economic health of the nation, as "physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of deaths due to non-communicable diseases worldwide... which each year contributes to over three million preventable deaths".
Prince Feisal noted that Jordan can be a model for the use of sport as a tool for social development "if we continue evolving our physical education curriculum; and if we continue improving the ratio of certified PE teachers to schoolchildren".
"Policy makers and parents alike must be persuaded of sport's social benefits. We must encourage the development of sport in schools: not as a mandatory task, but as an engaging, exciting and constructive extra-curricular activity that adds real value to school life," the Prince explained.
Prince Feisal's remarks came at the opening of a conference on the role of sports in the development of children and adolescents, which is part of the International Inspiration project, implemented by the British Council, UNICEF, UK Sport and the Jordan Olympic Committee.
During the opening of the two-day conference, the results of a study titled "The Situation of Physical Education and Sports among Children and Adolescents in Jordan and the Way Forward" were revealed.
The study, conducted to better understand the current policies and national development plans designed to enhance sports and physical activity among children, showed that sport and play do not form an integral part of education policy and that the budget allocated for these activities is insubstantial.
Furthermore, the study found that the bulk of resources are diverted towards infrastructure and construction and to a lesser extent to capacity-building activities. There is no gender bias, but girls and their need for special facilities are not given due attention.
Focus on students with disabilities is likewise limited. Inclusion in sport, in and out of school, is only partially featured in the National Youth Strategy, while the National Education Plan focuses more on education sector reforms, the report added.
It also revealed that in the public sector, there is one physical education teacher for every 505 students; whereas in private schools, there is one physical education teacher for every 118 students.
Results of the study will be discussed by decision makers and beneficiaries of the International Inspiration project to come up with recommendations on the development of sports activities in schools in the future.
International Inspiration aims to transform the lives of 12 million children in schools and communities across 20 developing countries worldwide through inclusive physical education, sports and play, according to the British Council website.
The programme, a collaboration of expertise in sport, development and education, is being implemented in public, private and UNRWA schools in Jordan.
© Jordan Times 2011
