Importance Of Health And Physical Education In Schools Recognised

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19th November 2009, 07:27pm - Views: 918
Importance of Health and Physical Education in Schools Recognised

The Australian Council for Health Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER) today endorsed the key findings of the report by the Independent Sport Panel into sport in Australia (The Crawford Report). ACHPER welcomed the report as it provided further recognition of the important link between physical activity, physical education and academic achievement and the significant role that physical education and sport can play in achieving positive preventative health outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for Australians.

ACHPER shares the deep concerns of the Panel in the delay in development of a national curriculum in the Health and Physical Education key learning area. National President, Mr Graeme Quelch commented;

"In the current climate where preventable health conditions are becoming an increasing burden on our community this recognition is yet more proof of the importance of the Health and Physical Education key learning area in the lives of all young Australians.'

`ACHPER is committed to the pursuit of active and healthy lives for all Australians and believes that both Physical Education and Health Education should be given equal attention in the national curriculum' Mr Quelch added. `Through physical education children develop the skills and knowledge for successful lifelong participation in sport'.

`In challenging times schools provide the only consistent opportunity we have to ensure that all young people, regardless of their economic circumstance or locality, receive quality instruction and experiences that support them in being active and healthy for life. A clear mandate through the national curriculum to support this is critical.'

ACHPER agrees that the limited physical education training in many primary teacher university courses is a significant contributor to the decline of quality teaching of physical education in schools. Further, ACHPER noted that the discretion given to schools as to how physical education outcomes are achieved with little apparent accountability has added to declining standards in physical education across the country.

At the national and state level ACHPER will continue to work with teachers of Health and Physical Education to lobby state and federal ministers for education to recognise the importance of the health and physical education key learning area in the education of our young people.

ENDS

Contact:
Graeme Quelch
President, ACHPER National
Phone 08 9273 6758, mobile 0413 154 373

For further information about ACHPER, visit http://www.achper.org.au


SOURCE: Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER) National

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