Khel Vikas educates parents and school teachers on the importance of physical education

Khel Vikas, a collaboration between Pro Sport Development and Gram Vikas, is a project in India committed to the holistic progress of youth through sport and their skill improvement within sport. As part of this, and to build understanding about PE and sport, the team prepared a short seminar for the students’ parents and teaching staff at the four Gram Vikas schools in mid-May, 2014.

Benefits
The seminar started with an overview of the involvement of the students at each school in PE and sport, as part of the Khel Vikas programme.

It then went on to discuss the benefits of PE and sport relating to student’s health, their academic learning and their futures. The benefits cited included:

• A reduction in student absence from classroom teaching and extra-curricular activities
• Improved physical fitness
• Improved resistance to illness as well as prevention of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease
• Increased attention span and capacity to learn
• Increased opportunities to apply and develop principles from language, maths and science lessons
• Increased motivation, drive and confidence
• A greater level of respect, appreciation and support for others

As these benefits are realised, they will build towards other development goals as well. These shall include equality due to increased respect and appreciation; reduction of poverty via improved employability skills and traits; and disease reduction due to improved health and fitness.

Increased parent and teacher understanding of the benefits of regular PE and sport will aid the Khel Vikas project in providing consistent quality and a wide variety of activities. Also, it will ensure the regular and sustainable participation of students in PE and sport, in particular girls, who often do not find the support required from parents and teachers to do so.

Finally, the students, along with their parents and teachers, will realise that academic /occupational success and sporting participation are compatible with one another. They too can be doctors, lawyers and engineers whilst continuing to be badminton players, cricket players or weightlifters.