Sinn Féin councillor Thérèse Ruane has voiced her serious concerns at downgrading of physical education in the school curriculum and has described plans to reduce the time allocated to physical education as a retrograde step which will have a serious negative impact on the health of young people and warns that any such moves must be stopped in their tracks.
Cllr Ruane, a qualified physical education teacher, was responding to an unpublished report by the National Activitiy Planning Group (NAPG ). She said: “I have serious concerns regarding these plans and my concerns are shared by the Department of Health and many other groups. It beggars belief that plans to reduce the time allocated to physical education (PE ) in secondary schools is being considered. This unpublished report refers to new proposals for the Junior Cert cycle would mean PE being downgraded to “no subject status” under the new revised framework and the hours reduced from 180 to 100 hours over the three years of the Junior Cycle.
“This is deeply worrying, and Education Minister Ruairí Quinn must ensure that secondary schools do not have the option of downgrading PE as part of changes that are being made to the Junior Cert curriculum. I am also concerned that there is consideration being given to allow PE to be taught by unqualified teachers. This will greatly impact on the standard and quality of physical education being delivered in schools and must be resisted.”
Cllr Ruane explained that physical education at primary and post-primary level is important in curbing the growing levels of obesity and other health related problems such as diabetes, heart disease.
“Children and young people are becoming increasingly overweight with some estimates pointing to the fact that one-in-five children in Ireland are obese.
“We already have very low hours in our school curriculums dedicated to physical education, compared with other countries and we must stand up to any downgrading of physical education in our schools. Children and young people deserve better,” said Cllr Ruane.
