COIMBATORE: Soon some schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) could have gyms and offer higher secondary students a vocational course in sports.
If everything goes well, then students of classes XI and XII could also get an option of doing a course in Sports Journalism. The CBSE has drawn up a proposal to introduce ‘Body Science - Fitness, Aerobics and Health’ as a novel vocational course in sports.
Sounding out the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathans and regional offices about the proposal a couple of days ago, CBSE Secretary Veera Gupta has argued it would prepare students for future professional courses in sports. “It may provide them the job opportunities after passing out from the school system. Also, such course will develop more awareness for sports in the country,” Gupta has said in the communication.
CBSE schools which are keen on lapping up the proposal “should have a gym as minimum infrastructure within the school premises or should have such facility nearby where they (can) tie up for practical lessons.”
According to Gupta, interested schools must also have a permanent postgraduate Physical Education Teacher (PET) on its rolls.
“The PET will have to undergo two orientation programmes each of 15 days duration. The first programme will be held before the commencement of class XI and the second before the commencement of class XII,” the letter added.
Students who opt for the subject, for which textbooks will be published by the CBSE, will have to undergo 30 days of internship training in the gym designated/recognised by the Board during the class XI summer vacation.
The Board is discussing the issue with various universities or organisations for obtaining joint certification for the course.