PE to Move Up a Gear in Dubai Private Schools
More physical education will be stipulated in Dubai schools as per a new policy. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced that there will be less junk food and more exercise, in order to tackle schools offering junk food in their cafeterias.
UAE media reported this week the new plan outlined by the DHA will focus on disease prevention and encouraging a healthy lifestyle amongst children.
The authority aims to launch 12 programmes applicable to private schools, targeting children aged between seven and 15.
The plan will request schools show they are helping to motivate pupils to lead a healthy lifestyle by increasing PE classes to 150 minutes every week.
Other rules for schools include compliance with the essential immunisation, promoting good dental and eye health and playing their part in an obesity early-detection programme. Dr Manal Al Taryam, CEO of Primary Healthcare Sector at the DHA, said:
“The modern school should be a healthy environment needed to protect children and bring out the best in them. We designed this policy after carefully considering all these factors.”
Pupils' health statistics will be logged in a database system to improve the way information about young people's health is collected, the DHA said.
