Extra PT hour in govt schools from next year

The additional time would be included after the classroom session in the evening, apart from the regular physical education session. 

A senior official from the Education Department said that the government has recently initiated steps to set up around hundred mini stadiums across Tamil Nadu, to encourage sports activities among the school students.

“In line with this initiative, all the students of the government and government aided schools in the State will have one extra period every day in the evening hours, to take up sports activities,” he added.

Stating that the new measure would be introduced from the middle level to higher secondary level, the official said, “New sports equipment will be purchased according to the requirement of the school,” he added.

He said that the various sports including basketball, badminton, football, kabaddi would be taught to the students by experts appointed as per the request of the school management. “A total of 26 sports disciplines for students from Classes 6 to 12, in the age group of 11 to 17 years, will be introduced,” he added.

“Monthly inter-school competitions will also be held and to encourage the students, awards and prizes will be distributed at the end of the competition,” he said. He added that physical education session, which is presently conducted in all the school, would continue as usual and yoga would be given importance. 

Pointing out that the government is currently spending Rs 10 crore for sports activities and competitions every year, the official said that the funding would be doubled when the new sports period has been introduced from next academic year.