Principals seek audit on PE programmes

THE  National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) has called on the Department of Education and Skills to undertake an audit of all school’s PE facilities and fitness programmes.

This follows a statement from Education Minister Ruairi Quuinn that no audit of PE facilities or resources in post primary schools has taken place, nor are there any plans to carry out such an audit.The minister was responding to a parliamentary question from Deputy Denis Naughten, on whether there are sufficient PE teachers, resources and facilities available in schools and if any audit had been carried out.

Commenting on the reply,  Clive Byrne, director of the NAPD said, “I am surprised by the minister’s response to that parliamentary question. Earlier this year a Department of Education and Skills’ ‘Lifeskills’ survey stated that the vast majority of post primary schools are not meeting the recommended time allocation of two hours per week for P.E. The survey also found that more than 90% of students are not meeting the recommended two hours of P.E. activity per week. Yet we do not have a full understanding of why this is happening.

“Anecdotally the NAPD is aware of the difficulties faced by schools in meeting the recommended P.E time allocation because some schools do not have adequate facilities or teaching resources to implement P.E. programs for students.

“With post primary pupil numbers expected to increase by 15% by 2020, it is difficult to see how this shortfall can be addressed. All the while our national obesity problem continues to grow. If the Department is serious about tackling obesity levels among Irish school children, which currently stands at 20% according to the European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative, then an audit of P.E. facilities in our schools is a crucial first step. We can’t fix the problem if we don’t understand the extent of it.”