Schools: Lack of facilities for PE

MOST schools do not have facilities to provide a physical education (PE) programme recommended by the Government to tackle obesity among young people, teachers warned last night.

The Government’s task force on obesity this week recommended every child should get at least half an hour of physical activity at school each day.

But spiralling insurance costs and a shortage of suitable space are making it harder for schools to provide effective physical education (PE).

From next September, the country’s 3,300 primary schools will be expected to teach a new PE curriculum, incorporating athletics, dance, gymnastics, games, adventure activities and aquatics.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) said the task force report’s recommendations must be achievable if it is to have any credibility.

“There is little point in calling for a doubling of the time for PE when too many primary schools lack the basic accommodation to deliver the programme as it is currently laid down,” said INTO general secretary John Carr.

The union leader said more than half of primary schools do not have a general purposes (GP) room and more than three-quarters have inadequate space to fully implement the new curriculum.

Mr Carr called for the restoration of a Department of Education grant scheme scrapped two years ago, which provided each school with up to €1,270 a year for coaching and sports equipment.

The department has said that schools are free to use their capitation grant to buy such equipment. Many projects being funded under the Government’s schools building programme include the provision of GP rooms and sports facilities.

In Cork, there is anger that a public swimming pool in Douglas faces closure unless the Government approves a loan to the city council of up to €8 million for its refurbishment.

“The Government is spending €500 million a year tackling obesity but they could make a start by spending money to save a facility used by 19 local primary schools for PE,” said Ray Lougheed of the Sunday’s Well Swimming Club.

Mr Carr also warned that schools could not solve the obesity problem on their own, saying the task force’s call for a ban on vending machines caused amusement among many teachers.

“The real vending machine is the shop on the way to school where too many children buy junk food for their lunches. Schools have healthy eating policies but regularly report a lack of parental support for these policies, especially as children get older,” he said.

“Children’s diet is an issue of parental responsibility. Schools can promote healthy eating, they can teach about healthy eating but they should not be expected to police children’s lunches,” Mr Carr said.