Swimming is not only a helpful sport but also an urgent need to protect the lives of children. Therefore, in recent years, Department of Education and Training (DOET) has instructed schools to improve the education of swimming for pupils in order to prevent drowning and give physical training to children.
Pupils learn swimming at Phuong Nam Tourist Park, Thuan An Town.
Prevention of drowning for
To implement swimming education, drowning prevention of pupils, Di An town Education- Training Office directed schools in the area to perform this task right from the beginning of each school year. As a result, up to now, 100% primary and secondary schools in Di An town educated pupils on swimming. Some schools did well, such as Tan Thoi Primary School, Tan Dong Hiep Primary School, Tan Binh Primary School... Le Minh Phuc, Head of the town Education- Training Office, said that each year, a pupil had 10 classes of an elective sport, so schools has used these to give swimming lessons to pupils. Most parents agreed with this. They said that when children can swim, parents are more reassuring, especially when going swimming, bathing in the sea or going to places where there are many ponds.
Although TDM City has not reached swimming education at 100% schools, DOET appreciated the efforts in recent years. Thanks to the adequate material facilities, the collaboration between schools and swimming pool managers, it is easy to take pupils to learn swimming. Some schools far from the center has no swimming pool will be supported in swimming education for pupils. Nguyen Van Chet, Head of TDM City Education and Training Office, said that they were very happy that rate of pupils, who were taught on swimming in schools in particular and in the city in general, increased steadily after each school year. Overcoming the initial difficulties, swimming education is gradually becoming more effective. Some students were at first afraid of water, but after the course, they were able to swim as well as have the ability to avoid drowning.
Ben Cat town Education and Training Office focused swimming lessons for pupils. The town People's Committee also supported in developing the project and funding swimming lessons. Duong Van Tai, a parent of Duong Van Sang studying at Tran Quoc Tuan primary school, said: "In recent years, there has had many cases of children drowning, so parents are very worried about our children. It is very disadvantageous and dangerous for children not to know how to swim, thus when our children learn swimming at school, we were very happy”. Learning to swim not only helps prevent drowning in children, but also provides opportunities for children to love swimming, physical exercise, and be more confident. Nguyen Thi My Ai studying at Nguyen Van Tiet secondary school (Thuan An Township) said: “I was very happy to learn to swim. I do not worry about drowning any more. I found learning to swim is very interesting and help me have good health, more friends.
Gradually being effective
According to Le Nhat Nam, Deputy Director of DOET, Binh Duong province has many rivers and streams, thus children accidents due to drowning still occurs quite a lot. Therefore, swimming lessons are the desire not only of pupils but also of all parents to prevent drowning. To fulfill this aspiration, in recent years, education and training sector has implemented many universal swimming activities for pupils, especially in primary schools. Each year, DOET sends teachers to general trainings on drowning prevention, teaching swimming in schools. Many schools do not have swimming pools; we directed schools to cooperate with private swimming pools to give swimming lessons to children. At the same time, enhancing awareness raising in the community, especially to parents about drowning prevention for students; take warning measures, reminding pupils about drowning accidents; investing in the construction of swimming pools, to train swimmers in schools; promoting collaboration between school, family and society on this issue.
However, on the whole, the organization of swimming education in schools is still limited. Up to now, according to statistics, the whole province has only about 40% primary schools, secondary schools giving swimming education to pupils. The reason is the number of schools invested with swimming pool is very little. Teaching staff of swimming is also limited. The propaganda of drowning prevention in schools only stops at the level of awareness raising and behavioral education...
According to the master plan for physical education and sports development in schools in the period of 2020-2025, the goal of DOET is to have 50% schools fulfilling swimming education by 2020; and 90% by 2025. Under inadequate financial conditions, the education and training sector has been performing socialization, called organizations and individuals for building swimming pools for pupils. In addition, schools encourage parents, social organizations to join hands with schools, units and organizations having swimming pools to arrange swimming lessons for pupils.
Reported by Thien Ly – Translated by Ngoc Huynh
