The Hindu : Sport : A fillip to school sports programme

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 15, 2006

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Sport - Sports : General

A fillip to school sports programme

BANGALORE: A seven-member expert committee has been constituted by the Karnataka State Government to streamline physical education and sports programme from primary to 12th standard in the state.

The committee is headed by Prof. L.V. Vaidyanathan, former Dean and Principal of the University College of Physical Education, Bangalore University.

Initiated by Minister of Primary and Secondary education, Basavaraj Horatti, a kabaddi player and a Masters degree holder in Physical Education, the concept could bring about a sea change in the sports structure at the school and college level. The committee comprising Prof. Seshanna, Dr. Sundar Raj Urs, Prof. Basavaraj Dharwad , Girija Durgadmutt, M.P. Suvarna Nagaraj and N. Puttananjaiah formally met for the first time this evening is expected to submit its report and recommendations to the State Government within the next two-three months.

"Examining ways and means to make physical education more effective and forming mass base to prepare healthy and fit future citizens as the main objective, certain recommendations will be chalked out" said Vaidyanathan, known popularly as `Vaidy' in sports circles.

"Making physical education as an examination subject with both theory and practical will be of immense benefit for students in the long run. Today physical education is treated as either extra curricular or co-curricular, which needs to be changed" felt Vaidy, who also stressed the need for a separate directorate for physical education in schools, with independent financial powers".

Permanent in-service training centre for teachers to avoid stagnation and burn-out is another aspect that is being looked at while concrete norms to provide incentives for national and international sportspersons is another possibility to be explored" added the former Dean.

The Education minister has set the ball rolling. Its for the new committee and the State government to take it on from here. — Principal Correspondent

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