Why getting physical makes for a better student: as the rate of obesity goes up, schools are ensuring a more active lifestyle for a more holistic educational experience
- According to recent studies, only eight per cent of Hong Kong’s children between the ages of five and 17 meet WHO’s recommendation to exercise one hour a day
- Squash player Tammy Tan and speed skater Ashton Cheung are the products of DSC International School, which focuses on athletic development alongside academics
When we think of an education in Hong Kong, there is a tendency for the focus to lean heavily towards academic results. Sports often take a back seat. Unlike some countries where physical education is given equivalent footing to academics, here there is a blind spot when it comes to looking at sports to foster students’ holistic development.
“There is a lot of pressure from teachers, parents and peers to achieve high grades in Hong Kong. As such, it gives students very little time and motivation to take part in sports and competitions, as it is something that is not valued,” says Karen Yeung, head of sports development and education at the Hong Kong Golf and Tennis Academy.
Ominously, recent studies have shown that Hong Kong’s youths are still not getting enough exercise even since pandemic restrictions have been dropped. For example, a recent study by the paediatrics department of the University of Hong Kong found that only 8 per cent of children between the ages of five and 17 fulfilled the World Health Organization’s recommendation to exercise one hour a day.
Alarmingly, the same study also found that the rate of childhood obesity among Hong Kong students has increased to over 31 per cent.
Despite this, many parents in Hong Kong still prefer that their children spend time on studies rather than on sports, Yeung says.
But this thinking needs to change – educators across the board agree student well-being rests entirely on being nurtured holistically. And sports educators in the city are beginning to feel confident that change is abreast as more schools step up to find new and creative ways to keep students moving.
“Any successful education programme today can’t just look at the academic side of things, you’ve got to be developing a holistic student, to use a buzzword,” says Julian Lewis, head of PE for the English Secondary department at German Swiss International School (GSIS).
While he is first to admit that his school is academically rigorous, he believes that any academic success must also be supported by a healthy, moving lifestyle.
“There are studies to prove that without a sports or PE programme to go with the academic programme, the results probably won’t be as good,” he adds.
Another advocate for sports in education is Allan Fraser, director of sports and activities at Chinese International School (CIS). He notes that students who score high academically and also do sports are likely to land their top choice university against someone who is only strong in academics.
“I always tell my students, one of the first people your university is going to ask for a reference is from me, because they want to see what else you can offer,” Fraser says. “It’s not just about your academic success.”
Educators agree that there are many lessons to be had in the playground or on the sports ground that cannot be learned in a classroom setting.
“In sports, students really learn to focus, concentrate and overcome their limits. When you think, ‘No, I can’t’, but [find] yes you can, you go further and succeed,” says Julia Wrobel, head of PE in the German Secondary department at GSIS
“You can’t get this feeling in a classroom.”
She says reaching such a level in sports means motivating oneself and other people as well.
Any successful education programme today really can’t just look at the academic side of things, you’ve got to be developing a holistic student
“No machine or classroom can teach you this, you need to experience and feel it in person,” she adds.
Wrobel points to another important aspect of sports – team building and community spirit. Through sports, students can be part of something and feel included. This can help to boost their general confidence and well-being, which all goes to support learning.
It is for these reasons that Yeung advocates that schools must take a top-down approach and work towards building intrinsic motivation in students.
“Schools should take the lead in putting more emphasis on sports and PE lessons by improving the contents to be more fun and competition-based, allowing students to have a sense of enjoyment,” she says.
When sports becomes fun and engaging, students will develop a natural love of activity. So, how can schools create that motivation? The answer lies in diversity – in the range of sports and activities offered – and inclusiveness, which involves making sports available for all.
“Allow every single student the opportunity to try things out. We have found instances where students who thought they were not triathletes are now triathletes. Offering experiences like rock climbing facilitates that enthusiasm,” Fraser says.
Another bonus is that students are then challenged to get out of their comfort zones, so they can learn a variety of skills such as communication, body coordination and so much more, Yeung says.
Lewis adds: “In a sports team, you’ve got players, captains, managers and coaches. All those different roles, and you’re looking at leading people and managing people, which is not an easy skill. So if you’re captain of a team, you’re doing it. So, all these sorts of skills will push out into the rest of their lives.
Yeung agrees and even proposes that the school curriculum could look at offering credit to motivate students to become more active. She says institutions that are doing it well incorporate sports lessons in all faculties as a mandatory course to encourage students to try different sports.
CIS, for example, while being a highly academic school, now has more than 90 sports teams and is expanding its co-curricular activities to more than 450, many of which include sports. Fraser explains that they are not simply competitive and elite programmes, rather they are opportunities for engagement
“It lets them have their own little journey that will hopefully allow them to try things out that they really wouldn’t try out before,” he says.
For the more serious sportspersons, DSC International School has taken a higher focus on athletic development alongside academics. A member of the Elite Athlete-Friendly School Network recognised by the Hong Kong Sports Institute, DSC has produced a number of top athletes.
The school has adopted a flexible Canadian curriculum designed to allow students to craft an academic schedule alongside their athletic training and tournament schedule. “It is a beautiful blend of academic support and athletic development,” explains Allan Morrison, principal of secondary at the school.
But what about grades? To the question, does sports really matter, the overwhelming response from educators is yes. Not just in its health benefits, but in everything else that it underscores.
“It just gives students different types of experiences,” Fraser says, “whether good or bad, they learn and they grow through experience. Sport teaches so much about that, not to mention it gives the students a release from a pressure cooker environment.”
