qatar leads the way in fight for childhood fitness
ASPIRE Award Ceremony Celebrates Efforts to Encourage Healthy Activity in Schools
A special award ceremony held at ASPIRE today applauded the role of schools in helping to address the challenge of childhood obesity and lack of activity.
The annual ASPIRE Fitness Awards, supported by ASPIRE, the Ministry of Education, the Supreme Council of Education, and Qatar National Olympic Committee recognize schools that have successfully encouraged their students to participate in sport.
Zobayda School received an award for the high level of physical fitness of its Fourth Grade girls, while Al Sileyyah Boys’ School received the award for Sixth Grade male fitness. Al Razi Boys’ School was also rewarded for the athleticism of students in its Seventh Grade.
The event was attended by Ali Jaber, Director of the Ministry of Education’s Physical Education Department.
With one in three children registered as officially obese in the GCC region, galvanizing youngsters’ excitement about taking part in sport – rather than video games and television – is seen as an important step in tackling a critical health problem.
To determine the winners of this year’s ASPIRE School Fitness awards, schools across Qatar were judged on the basis of data collected during ASPIRE’s nation-wide Talent Identification Program.
Every pupil in Qatar’s public schools has the opportunity to participate in this process, which sees students perform a series of physical tests for speed, strength, power, and endurance.
Results from the program provide a strong insight into the overall fitness levels for each school, as well as an overview of childhood fitness levels across Qatar.
ASPIRE Sports Director Dr. Andreas Bleicher said: “Schools have an essential role to play in encouraging children to live healthy and active lives. The schools that we honor at the ASPIRE Fitness Awards are taking an important lead in this area by ensuring their students reach their full potential and enthusiastically engage with sport and exercise.”
Winning schools were awarded a large banner to proudly display in their gymnasiums and each Principal received a framed certificate for their staff’s hard work.
Photo caption one: Staff and students from Al Sileyyah and Al Razi Boys’ Schools show off their awards with ASPIRE Sports Director Dr Andreas Bleicher (top far left), Director of the Ministry of Education’s Physical Education Department Ali Jaber (top second left) and representatives from the Ministry of Physical Education.
Photo caption two: Staff and students from Zobayda School show off their awards with ASPIRE Sports Director Dr Andreas Bleicher (second right), Director of the Ministry of Education’s Physical Education Department Ali Jaber (centre) and representatives from the Ministry of Physical Education.
