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Following is a question by the Hon Ma Fung-kwok and a reply by the Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, in the Legislative Council today (March 18):
Question:
An analysis of the fitness data of about 100 000 students conducted in the 2013/2014 school year under the School Physical Fitness Award Scheme, jointly organised by the Education Bureau, the Hong Kong Childhealth Foundation and the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China, has found that the students' overall performance in physical fitness in various aspects, such as the handgrip strength and cardiopulmonary functions of boys and flexibility of girls, was inferior to that of the students in the Mainland, Singapore and Europe, and that 27 per cent of the students were overweight or even obese. In addition, it has been reported that there is a trend of people suffering from heart diseases and diabetes at a younger age in recent years, and obesity and lack of exercise may increase the risk of developing such illnesses. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will review the contents of the physical education curricula for primary and secondary schools and increase the lesson time for physical education, with a view to enhancing students' physical fitness; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) of the measures to encourage and support schools and sports organisations to organise extracurricular sports activities, as well as strengthen the three-party cooperation between them and parents in promoting a sports culture and cultivating students' interest in participating in sports; and
(3) of the other measures to address the problems of students being less physically fit, a considerable percentage of students being overweight, and people suffering from heart diseases and diabetes at a younger age?
Reply:
President,
Our reply to Hon Ma's three questions is as follows:
(1) "Healthy Lifestyle" is one of the important goals in the curriculum reform. Apart from the Physical Education (PE) curriculum, the knowledge, skills and attitudes related to the learning goal, healthy lifestyle and habits, are covered in other subjects and in life-wide learning activities (including physical activities). At present, the Education Bureau (EDB) is reviewing and updating curriculum guides of different Key Learning Areas (KLAs). The PE curriculum continues to encourage students to do more exercises for developing an active and healthy lifestyle and to adopt measures to help schools build up a sports culture.
Regarding the curriculum time, schools are required to allocate 5 to 8 per cent of the total lesson time for PE in primary and junior secondary levels (i.e., around 80 to 120 minutes weekly); and at least 5 per cent of the total curriculum time for PE in senior secondary levels (i.e., around 80 minutes weekly). Such a balanced allocation is based on the learning needs of all KLAs, and as a result of comprehensive consideration with the support of the school sector.
The implementation of the PE curriculum is not only confined to PE lessons. Schools could organise various kinds of activities and open up sports facilities to students. So it helps students develop a habit of active participation in physical activities and enhance their lifelong interest in sports.
(2) In addition to the existing Physical Education curriculum, the EDB has implemented the following measures to strengthen the collaboration among schools, sports organisations and parents for cultivating students' interest in physical activities and boosting sports culture. These include:
a) Providing subsidy to schools for purchase of sports equipment and employment of sports coaches;
b) Collaborating with different governmental and non-governmental bodies to organise different sports activities including Inter-school Sports, Dance Competitions, School Sports Programme, School Physical Fitness Award Scheme, and offer advance booking of public sports facilities for schools free of charge or at concessionary rate;
c) Conducting professional development programmes for teachers;
d) Organising parent-child physical activities through schools, such as relay competitions in swimming gala and in athletics meet; and
e) Co-organising with Leisure and Cultural Services Department for the programme of "School Sports Tour - iSmart Fitness Scheme" to encourage parents and students doing more exercises.
(3) The EDB has been working with other bureaux/departments to implement a number of measures to tackle the problems of students being unfit and overweight. Examples are:
a) In terms of physical fitness, students' cardio-respiratory function and body fitness are improved through PE lessons and different physical activities organised by EDB such as "Jump Rope for Heart" and "School Physical Fitness Award Scheme";
b) In terms of health promotion, the EDB and the Department of Health (DH) co-organise the "StartSmart@school.hk" and "EatSmart@school.hk" Campaigns in schools. The DH also launched the "EatSmart@restaurant.hk" and "I'm So Smart" Community Programmes" to promote healthy eating and physical activity to children and parents in the community, so as to prevent and tackle childhood obesity, and to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases among children; and
c) In terms of health services, the DH launches the "Parenting Programme" in Maternal & Child Health Centres and the "Student Health Service" to promote health and referral service for primary and secondary students, with an aim to help the needy children develop exercise habits. It also invites students of schools with a high overweight ratio to join the tailor-made "Regular Exercise Class Programme" or "Exercise and Keep Fit Course".
The EDB also works with the Hong Kong College of Cardiology to conduct the "Heart-safe School Project" to provide "Heart-safe" education seminars, to enhance the knowledge of heart health among teachers and students. In addition, the DH published a policy document titled "Promoting Health in Hong Kong: A Strategic Framework for Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases (NCD)" in 2008. The Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of NCD (the committee), which was chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health, was formed in the same year. Under the committee, the "Working Group on Diet and Physical Activity" was also set up with a mission to tackle health problem caused by unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity, through partnership with different bureaux or departments.
Ends/Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Issued at HKT 14:54
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