Majority left on touch-line while elite pupils play sport

ONLY an elite 15 per cent of students are benefiting from physical education, undermining the concept of 'education for all', a leading academic charged with injecting new life into sport says.

Professor Amy Ha Sau-ching of the Chinese University's Department of Sports Science and Physical Education says school principals should re-allocate resources to improve participation.

'At present, schools only take inter-school competitions seriously as a way to increase their reputation.

'Such activities only engage about 15 per cent of elite students who are good at sports, but what about the other 85 per cent? We are going in the opposite direction of 'education for all',' she warned.

Professor Ha heads a $580,000 Quality Education Fund to rejuvenate PE in Hong Kong and launched the 'Jump Rope for Heart' campaign in February to promote lifestyle sports.

A survey conducted by her and Professor David Johns of the university found that tennis, basketball, badminton, swimming and squash were the most popular sports among the 5,238 secondary school students surveyed.

But interest in track and field events, volleyball, badminton, basketball and table-tennis declined as they grew older and they preferred dancing, kung fu, weight training, tai chi and baseball.

'Young people change between the ages of 11 and 18.

'The one-programme-for-all approach is no longer working; the present curriculum cannot meet their needs and interests,' said Professor Ha.

The deputy head of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Science at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, Dr Liu Yuk-kwong, agreed that many students are not keen and are distracted by other activities like electronic games.

'We are competing with other attractions for the students' attention. In some cases, the students simply leave their PE kits at home in order to skip the lesson,' said Dr Liu.

Guidelines aimed at a well-balanced education - 'a holistic approach' - will be given to schools as early as next September by the Curriculum Development Institute, of which Professor Ha is a member.

The new approach puts equal weight on mind, body, social, emotional and spiritual aspects. It will also address healthy eating and the academic workload of students.