It is with great pleasure that we have convened today's press conference to present the National Programme for the Assessment of the Physical Fitness of the Secondary School Population ("Aristotle"). This is a nationwide programme, which is part of the effort to prevent and address childhood obesity. We all know in Cyprus that it has reached alarming proportions, as we will hear later from the Minister of Health.
In welcoming the Minister of Health to our Ministry, I must point out that the presence of two Ministers at today's press conference shows that the prevention of childhood obesity is now placed at the centre of the Government's general social policy. Because healthy living habits, a healthy lifestyle, means a better quality of life. Our aim is for citizens to be happier. But we also want to spend less on health and at the same time implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the World Agenda 2030 - good health and well-being, quality education, etc.
But preventing childhood obesity is not a simple matter. That is why relevant strategies have been developed and guidelines recorded not only by the World Health Organization, but also by large and important international organizations such as the European Council, the OECD and UNESCO. It is a task that requires a holistic approach. It needs a cross-sectoral, multidisciplinary and multicultural approach. For us, it needs a strategy adapted to our own society and culture.
In education, obesity prevention is approached in an interdisciplinary way. In courses at all levels. With topics related to nutrition, exercise, a positive attitude towards oneself, the development of self-care skills and lifelong exercise. The message must be conveyed and experienced that if we respect ourselves, we can respect others, but also that others can respect us.
In addition to what is included in the curricula, numerous relevant programmes are implemented in cooperation mainly with the Ministry of Health but also with private bodies in the context of their social responsibility. The programmes are aimed at increasing physical activity as well as healthy eating, two key factors in the prevention of obesity according to experts.
I will briefly mention just a few of these programmes:
- Middle School Sports Afternoons (during which students choose the sport they like and participate in training and/or competition)
- Middle School Sports (27% of the student population participates in Regional and/or Pancyprian school competitions - figures from the last school year before the pandemic). In fact, we plan to reintroduce school games in primary schools from the next school year in cooperation with COEAS.
- Promotion of physical activity beyond the physical education course in cooperation with private organizations e.g. "All Different - All Equal" with CTO, "Junior NBA" with KOK, "I run for my health" with OPAP Limassol Marathon GSE and Limassol Municipality, "Health Road" with Radisson Blu Larnaca International Marathon and Larnaca Municipality etc.
- National campaign to promote exercise in schools as part of the pan-European campaigns "European Day of School Sport" and "European Week of Sport"
- Sports Schools (secondary schools)
- Promotion of fruit and vegetable consumption
- Healthy breakfast and Mediterranean lunch
- Introduction to sports
- Legislation on school canteens
- Lidl Children's Food Academy
In addition to what has been mentioned, it is clear that our efforts must now be based on scientific evidence and our actions must be targeted to the needs of each school and each pupil individually in order to be effective. We believe that the Aristotle programme is a step towards achieving this goal.
The assessment of children's physical fitness is very important for the maintenance of their health and their normal development. Fitness assessment tests are already used in physical education as an educational tool. They aim to make children and adolescents aware of the ways in which they can assess their physical condition, set goals for self-improvement, plan programmes to achieve these goals and evaluate this progress in order to remain physically active and healthy.
With the Aristotle programme, this assessment is institutionalised on a scientific basis within the school environment. At the same time, we are harmonising with European guidelines and corresponding practices of all European countries.
It is worth mentioning that the Aristotle National Programme is entirely financed from national resources. One hundred thousand euros per year for three years in an initial phase, to cover costs such as the purchase of scientific support services, the purchase of measuring instruments and necessary equipment with the same specifications for all schools, training, information campaigns, etc.
More details on the characteristics of the project will be given a little later on behalf of the Director of Secondary General Education, Dr. Kyprianou Louis, by Mrs. The methodology that will be applied in schools in Cyprus will be presented by the Project's Scientific Coordinator, President of the School of Physical Education and Sports Science of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Dr. Haralambos Tsorbatzoudis, whom we are pleased to welcome to Cyprus.
At this point let me congratulate the Rector of Frederick University, Mr. George Demosthenous and Mrs. Natasha Frederick, President of Frederick University for the University's success in securing scientific support for the project through an open, European bidding process. Mrs Fredericou, we are convinced that the team of experts you have selected will carry out the national project with great success.
I would also like to express my thanks to the Culture and Sports Sector of the Secondary General Education of our Ministry for designing and implementing this national project which aims at the health of our country's future generations. I am confident that the project will be embraced with the seriousness and responsibility required and the results will justify our high expectations.
In conclusion, I would like to stress the importance of the cooperation between the two Ministries, Education and Health, on the very serious issue of the prevention of childhood obesity. Joint programmes have been implemented in the school environment for years, but recently with even greater convergence on common objectives.
(NΓ)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
Source
