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The importance of being fit

PHOTO: S. THANTHONI

MAN WITH A MISSION Meer Waqiruddin Khaleeq

With the idea of adding a necessary dimension to education, EduSports, a school sports enterprise, has developed an integrated physical education and school sports platform — SOAR. The idea behind SOAR is to ensure that schools have a strong emphasis on physical education, which will go on to benefit the child's overall performance.

Says Meer Waqiruddin Khaleeq, COO, EduSports: “We are looking to ensure that there is a structured physical education programme in schools. The focus these days is on academics, due to which physical education is largely ignored. We are looking at providing a holistic education experience for students.

“In most schools, we observe that physical education is dependent on the P.E. teacher. If he or she is unavailable, then physical education suffers. To make it resource independent, we have a structured syllabus that covers every aspect of physical education. Every kid has to participate in it; we are targeting children in the age group 10 to 15. We are working on developing the syllabus for higher classes.”

Critical gaps

EduSports, a group company of SportzVillage, conceived the idea of a sports-specific syllabus, after research and interactions with children and parents showed critical gaps in the education programme. “In cities such as Chennai and Bangalore, kids have no space to play, so it is crucial they get the necessary space and time in school. We try and put them through two, three or five sessions a week,” says Khaleeq.

The programme focusses on five specific skills — “locomotive, manipulative, movement concepts, body management skills, and rhythmic skills. We also put them through the basics of all sports. The syllabus and tasks are modelled around these skills. The tasks and the props increase in complexity and size with the student's age. We provide parents with fitness measurement reports, so they can monitor the child's progress”.

The programme has found favour among a number of schools in smaller cities and districts. EduSports began SOAR by tying up with two schools in Madurai last June. “We've added more schools thereafter, and are looking at a target of 70-80 schools by June, across the country. The response has been very good in Tier 2 cities, and bigger cities are also open to the idea. In Chennai, we're working with PSBB, and are looking at tying up with at least five more by June.”

Improving skills

Khaleeq expressed the confidence that more schools would embrace the idea and introduce the programme. “It is well known that physical activity improves blood circulation to the brain. A combination of academic and physical education works so much better in improving cognitive skills and enhancing social behaviour. An increased emphasis on physical education only proves beneficial.”

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