Students' running abilities are tested as one of the subjects in the high school entrance exam in Nantong, Jiangsu province, in June, 2020. (XU PEIQIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)
BEIJING - China's Ministry of Education (MOE) has called for appropriate school scheduling to ensure that students at the compulsory education stage engage in one hour of physical activity both during and after school hours every day.
Physical education (PE) classes and campus exercise activities should not be squeezed out in favor of other programs, said the MOE in a circular, which asked schools to offer guidance on PE homework and offer quality exercise resources.
PE classes should focus on teaching students health knowledge, basic exercise skills and special sports skills and enable every student to play one or two types of sports, said the Ministry of Education
PE classes should focus on teaching students health knowledge, basic exercise skills and special sports skills and enable every student to play one or two types of sports, said the circular.
The MOE also encouraged the establishment of youth sports clubs where students can make use of their extracurricular time to practice soccer, basketball and volleyball, among other sports.
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The MOE said at a press conference Sunday that 95 percent of schools had ensured students took an hour of physical exercise every day during school hours.
Chinese students showed a gradual improvement in physical fitness as 33 percent were evaluated as being in good shape in 2020 compared to 26.5 percent in 2016, the MOE said.
Incidence of being overweight and obese among students at various schooling ages was on a downward trajectory during the period, the ministry added.
Less Homework
Meanwhile, Chinese primary and junior high school students will no longer be overloaded with homework given by either teachers or after-school training institutions.
Primary schools should ensure that students in the first and second grades do not have written homework, and those in higher grades complete their homework within no more than one hour, according to a circular issued by the MOE.
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Junior high school students will spend a maximum of one and a half hours on their written homework each day, read the circular, calling for an appropriate amount of homework even for weekends as well as summer and winter holidays.
After-school training institutions are prohibited from giving any homework to primary and junior high school students, according to the circular.
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