Over the next three years, a new syllabus for Physical Education (PE) will be introduced in schools from primary to pre-university levels, where all students will have to take part in outdoor education. The change in the PE syllabus has been introduced because MOE took the suggestion brought up by participants during the Singapore Conversation (OSC) seriously, according to Education Minister Heng Swee Keat. Many want to see more opportunities for students to learn and enjoy sports at school.
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What will the new syllabus consist of?
For Primary School students, the new PE syllabus will be centred around “fundamental movement skills” according to Channel News Asia. This includes concepts such as body awareness, space awareness which can be developed through dance, gymnastics and swimming. The new PE syllabus will make learning objectives clearer to teachers, and ensure movement rather than activity. Teachers will now have to use more specific language such as “throw and pass a ball three metres high” rather than simply “run to the other side.”
Secondary students will be engaging in six different physical activities and sports to ensure they are taking part in PE. They will also be required to participate in intra-school sports, such as football, basketball and softball, and will learn at least three types of sports. This is to facilitate students in learning teamwork, and in understanding how to be a good sport about winning and losing. The focus is on participation, not on winning.
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10 percent of curriculum time will be utilised in adventurous activities at various sports facilities in primary schools, and 20 percent for secondary schools. Health lessons will also be integrated into the new syllabus in order to educate students about the importance of staying healthy through balanced diets and regular exercise.
Lessons on health will now be incorporated into the new PE syllabus.
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When will the syllabus begin?
These new PE syllabus will be introduced in 2014 for Primary 1 and Primary 2 as well as Secondary 1 and Secondary 2. For Primary 3 and Primary 4, Secondary 3 and Secondary 4 and all pre-university levels, the new PE syllabus will be introduced in 2015. The syllabus will be introduced to Primary 5 and Primary 6 students in 2016.