Government to Make Physical Education Compulsory

By Damba Rogers .

Government is set to make physical education compulsory to all schools include private learning institutions which have no compounds.

Declaring the National Physical Active Day at Entebbe today, the Minister for Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng says they are pursuing the Education and Sports ministry not to provide licenses to all schools with no space or open ground for physical exercise.

According to them, Non Communicable diseases are increasing among Ugandans due to being physically inactive with hypertension being at 24.3 percent and more than 1.3percent diabetes.

The Programme Manager for Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Gerald Mutungi emphasizes that a multi sectral committee is already surveying all schools and drafting a practicing school policy that will guide physical exercises at the learning institutions.

Meanwhile, Minister Aceng says that every second Sunday of July annually will be designated for National Physical Activity Day with the main activities held at Kololo Ceremonial ground.

This time around, it is President Yoweri Museveni to inaugurate at Kololo Air strip under the slogan “My life is my responsibility” on 8th July this year.

Physical inactivity is reported as the 4th leading risk factor for death globally with estimations that 1 in every 4 adults globally is not physically active enough.

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