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People of all ages are encouraged to participate in the new Progressive Swimming Scheme launched by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) to enhance their swimming skills at different levels of training courses.

"Changes are introduced to enable further development of swimming skills for interested members of the public and improvements to the ratio of instructor and participants," an LCSD spokesman said today (April 29).

"The Learn-to-Swim Scheme has a ratio of one instructor to 20 students. The new Scheme will reduce the ratio to 1:12 in stage one and 1:15 in stages two and three. This will enable the instructor to give better attention to individual participants."

Under the Progressive Swimming Scheme, training courses for children, junior, youth and adults will be provided on either "front crawl" or "breaststroke" in three stages. Each stage includes a 10-hour intensive training programme.

In stage one, participants will be taught knowledge of water safety of one style in the teaching pool. Participants in stage two can improve the style in the same pool while stage three polishes swimming skills including the starting and turning skills in the 50-metre main pool.

Swimming assessment test will be conducted at the conclusion of each swimming course to assess whether the participants have attained the required standard.

Backstroke training courses will be held in order to meet the need of the public.

"In addition to the training courses under the Progressive Swimming Scheme, recreational swimming classes and specially designed classes will be organised respectively for children aged under five and for senior citizens aged 60 or above," the spokesman added.

Enquiries and enrolment can be made at the LCSD's 18 district leisure services offices.

End/Saturday, April 29, 2000

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