All work and no play is nonsense, PS declares

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR  and  MARGARTE KANINI

Kenya: The Ministry of Education has directed all schools to fully implement the education curriculum.

Education PS Bellio Kipsang said physical education (PE) is part of the curriculum and was not mistakenly included in primary schools timetable.

“Education is only whole when children are allowed time to grow physically as well and this is compulsory in primary schools. It must be on the timetable and must be implemented,” he said.

He said the ministry is committed to further review of the curriculum.

Private schools yesterday defended themselves saying they have invested heavily in physical education.

Kenya Private Schools Association (Kepsa) CEO Peter Ndoro said all their members have complied with the ministry’s policy on PE.

“If you look around these schools we have invested on PE gear such as swinging, swimming and other sports costumes. In fact these are requirements that we look for before admission,” he said.

Mr Ndoro however said private or public schools, are not to blame for obese cases as the children are fed on junk at home.  “Diets in our schools are well balanced. It is at home that they get to eat all the junk food. So even if they ran in school and the diet at home is not revised they will still be unhealthy,” said Ndoro.

Education think tank, Uwezo Kenya, country coordinator John Mugo said ‘this is a worrying trend especially among the middle class children who carry packed food to schools.

“These poor feeding habits will be costly in the long run,” said Dr Mugo.

He said there is a growing trend where teachers take advantage of PE to make up for lost time.  Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi has warned teachers over holiday tuition.

Kenya National Parents and Teachers Association chairman Nathan Barasa said teachers are guilty for not implementing PE.

He maintained that PE is part of the curriculum and must be implemented. Mr Barasa also accused the Ministry of Education of allowing satellite schools that do not even have playing grounds to enroll students.

And Muthoni Gichu who is the head of health and aging unit in the Ministry of Health said they will soon initiate measures to counter cases of obesity and underweight children which are mostly associated with non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, heart conditions and cancer.

Evangeline Njoka, secretary general for Kenya National Commission for UNESCO urged Kenyans to turn out tomorrow to celebrate the international sports day set aside last year by the UN General Assembly to celebrate the contribution of sports and physical activity to well-being.