Include sports education in curriculum, says academic

 A PROMINENT academic says sports education should be included in the curriculum to ensure full development of students and to strengthen national identity.

University of Goroka vice-chancellor Dr Gairo Onagi said the current curriculum focused on mental development and completely neglected the physical well-being of students.

Speaking at the opening of the National Education Conference yesterday at the university in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, Onagi said the total education of a child should enable a child to be mentally, morally and physically fit. 

“For an all-round development of a child, our curriculum should include sports, games and health education,” he said.

“Sufficient amount of school time should be devoted to sports and physical training.”

He added that sports education could enhance national identity and unite the country’s many tribes.

“We need not go far to observe that our schools are faced with ethnicity issues. The schools are now ethnic battle grounds.

“The Sepiks fight the Chimbus and Goilalas are up against Morobeans. I feel that a strong sports education can change all these.”

He also said the curriculum should prepare a child for the challenges and opportunities in a changing world.

“Our children need to be prepared. Democratic societies or those nations that are striving to be like PNG need active, informed and responsible citizens who are willing to and are able to take responsibility for themselves and their communities.”

The conference, themed ‘Calibrate education for my future’, brought together educationists to develop a curriculum that would enable young people to be responsible for their lives and communities as outlined in the Vision 2050.

Presentations were made on education reform, internal and external quality assurance in higher education and development of human capital.