Two 40-minute P.E lessons per week in all schools

Accra, Nov. 2, GNA - The Ministry of Education and Sports is ensuring that pupils and students in first and second cycle institutions respectively are taught at least two forty-minute physical education (P.E) lessons per week to enhance their health status and academic performance.

This would be separate from their participation in sports programmes.

The ministry has subsequently, reminded all Regional and District Directors of Education that the teaching of sports was compulsory at all levels.

Mr O. B. Amoah, a Deputy Minister of Education and Sports gave the assurance at a lecture to kick-start the celebration of the International Year of Sports and Physical Education (IYSPE) in Accra on Wednesday.

The lecture forms part of series of programmes to promote the benefits P.E and to involve all stakeholders in appreciating the role of sports in attaining the country's development goals. The United Nations (UN) Organisation declaring this year the IYSPE have identified sports and physical education as important tool for attaining the eight-millennium development goals, which include poverty eradication, better health care sustaining the environment and developing a global partnership for development. In November 2003, the UN in adopting resolution 58/5 entitled "sports as a means to promote education and health, development and peace" recognised the power of sports to contribute to human and healthy childhood development.

The Deputy Minister said government was determined to integrate sports into the country's development agenda and to allocate more resources to sports for all initiatives. He said the ministry has revised the sports Act to take into consideration the role of sports and P.E in the socio-economic development and to encourage private sector involvement. Professor Agyeman-Badu Akosa, Director of Ghana Health Service highlighted the correlation between physical activity, good health and academic excellence.

He painted an alarming picture of the unhealthy lifestyle of Ghanaians calling all to exercise at least 30 minutes a day to increase their life expectancy.