CHENNAI: In a first, the school education department is set to introduce physical education textbooks for classes 1 to 12 from the next academic year. According to department officials, the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has prepared teachers’ manuals and textbooks for each class and sent them for approval.
For more than 10 years, physical education teachers in the state have urged the department to provide structured learning materials, arguing that an essential subject contributing to students’ overall development is being taught without textbooks. Until now, the department had only released an outline of physical activities like marching, calisthenics, various exercises and sports. However, there was no dedicated textbook for each class. Despite this, physical education exams are being conducted for classes 6 to 9.
R Jayadevan, state president of the Graduate Physical Education Teacher Association, said, “It has been a long-pending demand of physical education teachers to provide textbooks for all classes. We have repeatedly questioned how students can be expected to write examinations without textbooks. Students have missed out learning about importance of physical education that will help in their day-to-day life till now.”
According to sources, the revised syllabus will include topics such as anatomy, health education, importance of physical fitness, physiology, kinesiology, different types of sports and tournaments, as well as career opportunities in sports.
While physical education teachers have welcomed the move, they also urged the government to ensure that all schools have designated teachers for the subject. “The government rewards youngsters who achieve in sports. However, if more individuals from underprivileged backgrounds are to excel in sports, physical education must be strengthened in government schools. Appointing more teachers and increasing funds for sports equipment and tournaments are essential,” said Jayadevan.
Currently, there are only around 5,000 physical education teacher and director posts in the state, while there are approximately 6,000 government high and higher secondary schools, according to T Devi Selvam of the Tamil Nadu Physical Education Teachers and Directors Association. He noted that in July 2024, the school education department increased the student-to-physical education teacher ratio to 700 from the existing 250 to 400 students per teacher through a government order.
He urged the department to revoke this order and increase the number of PET posts.