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The "School Sports Tour – iSmart Fitness Scheme" was launched today (September 28) to encourage Hong Kong primary school students to do more exercise. It is hoped that with support and encouragement from parents, inactive children will participate in the scheme and enhance their interest in sports.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) conducted the "Healthy Exercise For All Campaign - Physical Fitness Test for the Community" in 2011, which suggested that school children had inadequate physical activities and often faced weight problems. The study also found that parents significantly influence their children's level of activity.
In light of these facts, the LCSD, the Education Bureau, the Department of Health and the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China jointly launched the scheme this school year to improve students' participation in physical activities and help them establish an active and healthy lifestyle, while increasing parents' awareness of children's health issues.
The scheme, to run in three phases from September this year to April next year, provides a total of 20 quotas in school units for primary and special schools. During the scheme period, the organisers will make regular visits to participating schools and evaluate the operation of the scheme. Questionnaires will be distributed to stakeholders including teachers, parents and students to collect their opinions for evaluation.
Stage one of the scheme is "Regional Parents Seminar and Sport Demonstration" (from September to October this year). All participating students and their parents will be invited to attend health talks conducted by the Department of Health and the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China, as well as sports demonstrations, while students are also required to take part in a physical fitness pre-test and complete a questionnaire survey. Stage two is "Sports Training Programme" (from this October to next April) where students will join a sports training programme for around 48 hours and parents are required to encourage their children to do more exercise during their leisure time. After training, the stage three "Evaluation of the Scheme" (April next year) requires participating students to complete the physical fitness post-test and a questionnaire.
The scheme's launch ceremony took place at Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) Primary School this afternoon, where a parents' seminar and sports demonstration, play-in sessions, sports exhibition and physical fitness pre-test were conducted on site. Officiating guests included the Convener of the Student Sports Activities Co-ordinating Sub-committee, Mr Liu Ah-chuen; the Chief Curriculum Development Officer (Physical Education) of the Education Bureau, Mr Ho Chun-ip; Senior Medical and Health Officer of the Department of Health, Dr Kung Kin-hang; Chairman of the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China, Professor Stanley Hui; and the Chief Leisure Manager (Sports Development) of the LCSD, Mrs Joan Mak.
The LCSD invited schools to participate in the scheme via an Education Bureau Circular this April. Applications for the scheme ended in May this year with an overwhelming response from schools. Twenty schools were selected by balloting from among over 60 applications, while the remaining schools can still participate in other activities under the School Sports Programme.
The "School Sports Tour – iSmart Fitness Scheme" is a new project under the School Sports Programme. The LCSD has run the School Sports Programme since May 2001 to provide children and teenagers at primary, secondary and special schools with sports information and more opportunities to participate in sports activities. At present, over 90 per cent of schools in Hong Kong are participating in the programme.
For enquiries, please contact the School Sports Programme Unit of the LCSD at 2601 7620 or 2601 7616.
Ends/Saturday, September 28, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:11
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