New Guineans

A New Scheme

For Fitter

From a Rabaul correspondent Papua and New Guinea is to pay more attention to the physi cal aspects of education, as a re sult of a National Fitness Bill,

recently piloted through the

House of Assembly by Mr. Don Barrett, of Rabaul.

THE bill clears the way for a National Fitness Council to be established, the functions of which will be much the same as those of similar bodies in Australia. Mr.

Barrett studied Australian legislation and visited National Fitness camps in Australia before drafting his bill.

To date, New Guinean children at schools in or near towns have had a distinct advantage in sporting activities over smaller schools in more remote areas. One of the first actions of the council when it is set up will be to encourage the physical side of education. Activities for children of all ages would be included in any worthwhile programme.

Physical activities can begin quite simply and be gradually built up to team sports and field and track athletics. In this way, not only all children participants but those with special talent are discovered early and given the encouragement necessary for success.

Some criticism

There has been some criticism of the amount of time already spent in certain schools on sporting activities.

However, Mr. Barrett claims that it is possible to arrange a properly planned school programme, with time enough for everything, and this is where the proposed council can help.

Another way, Mr. Barrett says, is for newly qualified New Guinea teachers to be given a basic ground ing in the principles of physical educa tion—more than they are at present getting, which is not enough accord ing to Mr. Barrett.

Already three training camps have been run in the territory for primary school teachers and teacher trainees.

The co-operation of Department of Education and the Missions made these camps possible, and all were conducted by Mr. Don Westley, a staff member of Port Moresby Teachers’

College. They proved very popular.

t what has been lacking is the fol v-up to these instruction camps.

Mr. Barrett sees the ultimate aim a qualifed physical education icher at every large primary school d at every secondary school in the •ritory. Their training courses ould be designed to meet local eds.

Mr. Barrett, who was P-NG’s iletics manager at the Noumea imes, agrees that it is impossible to I a norm for performances of ildren at different ages, since en -onment will greatly effect perform ce. A great deal of study and re arch is needed but he does not think is should prevent the imedi j introduction of organised physical tivities to all schools.

“The regular hours of school life, id in the case of boarding schools, e regular diet, are producing much ter generations of young men and amen than before,” he says. “But [equate physical activity is thus all e more essential.

“Youngsters who have taken part sports at school mostly seek to rry it on when they start jobs or » to institutes of higher education, lis in itself helps to circumvent the cial problems of idle young people towns.

“It also highlights the need for ore and better sporting facilities in ain towns.

“This must be regarded as a central (vernment responsibility. It is easy a “tight” budget to overlook such ;eds, but the social evils which their ck breeds are not easily overcome.”