COLLEGE FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION (Establishment)

Encik Abbas Abu Amin asked the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education when the proposed College for Physical Education will materialize, and how it will help to upgrade the general standard of physical fitness of our young population.

Dr Tay Eng Soon (for the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, a feasibility study for a Physical Education College began early this year. The study has been completed and is now awaiting the comments and advice of an expert consultant who will be coming from West Germany in September. Depending on the outcome of the consultant's visit, it may be possible to start the PE College sometime next year or 1984 at the latest. It is envisaged that the College will take in 'O' and 'A' level students and award a Diploma in Physical Education after a three-year course.

My Ministry has been concerned for some time about how to improve the standard of physical fitness of our pupils. We recognize that a well-run compulsory PE programme in our schools would be the way to improve physical fitness. To achieve this, we need to provide our schools with enough trained PE teachers. There is, however, an acute shortage of such teachers. At present, only 50 of our PE teachers have diplomas, certificates or degrees in PE while the rest have partial or no training.

Over the next 10 years we will need at least 70 to 80 trained PE teachers each year for our secondary schools and junior colleges. The proposed PE College will not only train PE teachers for our schools but also PE instructors for the SAF, the Singapore Police Force, the Singapore Sports Council, People's Association and other organizations. We have neglected PE in our schools for far too long. The starting of the PE College and a PE programme in our schools should rectify this neglect.