'Schools working with movement'
Children should exercise at least twice for half an hour every day. This is argued by the Dutch Sports Council, the Education Council and the Council for Health and Society. They see a task for education.
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The advisory councils conclude in their advice Pleasure in moving that daily attention for sports and exercise in education must and can become much more self-evident. Children should exercise at least twice for half an hour every day. Education minister Arie Slob must oblige schools to do so, the advice is. Education can realize this with the support of local networks, municipalities and the national government.
AObchairman Liesbeth Verheggen reacts critically to the advice. Primary schools are already unable to achieve the minimum number of two hours of gym lessons per week by a qualified teacher. “First, let's make sure that there are enough subject teachers, trained at the Academy for Physical Education. And that teacher training students can again obtain their gym license within their study program. ”
AObchairperson Liesbeth Verheggen: 'Let's first make sure there are enough specialist teachers, trained at the Academy of Physical Education'
While the AOb first want to reach the target of two hours, the councils argue that those two hours are insufficient to develop an active lifestyle in children and young people. Sports and exercise can be better used to serve education itself, the councils argue. They argue for working with so-called exercise teams, which in addition to professional teachers also include community sports coaches and qualified trainers. Schools can collaborate more with sports clubs and municipalities can take more control.
Dozens of scientists have investigated the link between exercise, fitness and smartness. But the effects found are minimal. 'Review studies show that the effect of exercise and fitness on learning performance is very small,' the renowned educational scientist John Hattie told the article in 2015. 'The effect of exercise and learning performance' in the Education Magazine.
