Irish schools are ranked close to the bottom of an EU-wide league table for the provision of physical education (PE) classes. Primary schools perform particularly poorly, with six out of 10 schools providing inadequate facilities and equipment for PE, according to a new EU report.
For example, Irish primary schools provide the lowest weekly allocation of PE lessons in Europe, with a minimum curriculum guideline of 30 minutes and a maximum of 60 minutes. Only Britain scores as low as the Republic, while most other countries schedule much more time for PE.
Current situation and prospects for Physical Education in the EU details an overall reduction in the time allocated to PE across Europe since 2002. But the report highlights particular problems related to the provision of PE in the Republic.
Hungary tops the class in Europe, offering primary-school children a minimum of 112 minutes of PE and a maximum of 225 minutes.
The report also notes that despite the recommended Department of Education guideline of 60 minutes per week, PE is not taught in some Irish primary schools. Quality of provision of PE also varies, with research showing three-quarters of classes last less than 30 minutes.
The paper notes anecdotal evidence from teachers that suggests financial constraints adversely affect provision of facilities and teacher employment. For example, many schools have been built without indoor PE facilities and there is inadequate facilities and equipment in some 60 per cent of primary schools.
Primary-level PE teachers are also generalists rather than specialists, says the report. Irish secondary schools perform better, according to the report. They provide a minimum weekly allocation of 57 minutes and a maximum of 120 minutes.
This ranks the Republic close to the average in Europe. In comparison, France offers a maximum weekly allocation of 240 minutes while Sweden performs poorly by setting a maximum allocation of 60 minutes for PE at secondary level.
A spokeswoman for Minister for Education Mary Hanafin said
schools could also take a range of
measures to encourage physical exercise outside the formal
curriculum, such as sport.
"It is important to remember that students spend just 20 per cent of their waking hours at school, so schools can only do so much with regard to promoting exercise and healthy eating, and the main role must rest with parents," she said.
The Government also announced a funding package worth €6.5 million last year, which would give every school €2,000 for replacing and upgrading PE equipment. The report, which was written on behalf of the European Parliament by Prof Ken Hardman from the University of Worcester, found an overall reduction in average time allocation for school PE curricula in both primary (from 121 minutes to 109 minutes per week) and secondary (from 117 minutes to 101 minutes) across the EU.
It concludes that there is a gap between "hope and happening" in
the field of PE, which is occurring
at a time of reductions in physical activity and increased
incidence of related problems such as
obesity and sedentary lifestyle-related illnesses.
The report recommends that EU states implement a policy of a minimum of 120 minutes of PE per week, with an agreement to move towards a minimum of 180 minutes. It also recommends proper training for teachers, especially for those in primary schools, and political support for the introduction of compulsory PE within the curriculum.