Most pupils fail to get recommended PE time [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 22 October 2010
ONLY a third of primary school pupils and just 10% of post-primary pupils are receiving the recommended amount of time for physical education every week, a major study has revealed.
The Irish Sports Council study — which uncovered alarming levels of inactivity among 10 to 18-year-olds — goes on to reveal one in four children are unfit, overweight or obese and have high blood pressure.The Department of Education recommends that post-primary students should have two hours of physical education a week, while primary school children should have one hour.
On average, post primary students get 77 minutes of physical education a week, while primary school pupils, get 46, the report states.
Over 5,000 children from 53 primary and 70 post-primary schools took part in the study last year, that makes the sole recommendation to increase participation in physical activity among children.
Called the Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity study, it is a follow-up to the School Children and Sport in Ireland study, published by the ESRI in 2005.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
