New schools award leads the race for fitter children

Childhood obesity and related illnesses are seen as major challenges in the Gulf region, where one child in three is registered as officially obese and health professionals have long argued that a stronger sporting culture could help to tackle this issue.

The 'Talent Identification Fitness Award' has been launched this year to recognize the achievements of those schools which actively encourage students to take up sport, with the full support of ASPIRE and the Ministry of Education's Physical Education Department.

Schools were judged on the basis of data collected from ASPIRE's talent identification process, a nationwide search for potential sporting champions. Experts from the Academy assessed the performance and fitness of students in public education and some private schools.

For the first time, the talent identification process tested girl students as well as boys, offering the most comprehensive insight yet into the physical capabilities and performance potential of girls in Qatar. Having first ranked the schools according to their average fitness scores, ASPIRE has found that two schools had the highest proportion of fit and healthy pupils.

The Al Muthanna Bin Harithah School has been judged the facility which has participated best in developing the physical capabilities of its students through its sports programme and has the best developed physical fitness for boys, while Om Hani School has received the equivalent distinction for girls' schools.

Principals of both schools received awards at today's ceremony, which was attended by Mr. Khalil Al Jaber, Director of the Ministry of Education's Physical Education Department, and Dr. Anisa Al Hitmi, Assistant Director in the Ministry of Physical Education.

Dr. Thomas Flock, Director General of ASPIRE and Dr. Andreas Bleicher, Sports Manager, also addressed the event.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Bleicher said, "Although the Academy is dedicated to developing student athletes at the top-end of talent and ambition, we fully appreciate the role Qatari schools play in nurturing a love of practicing exercise and physical well-being in all pupils, regardless of ability and physical capacity.

"Students who take up sport at an early age tend to live happier and healthier lives and schools play a vital role in engendering a passion for physical fitness and physical activity. We hope that today's ceremony cements a lasting and rewarding bond between ASPIRE and Qatar's schools. We are committed to tackling the obesity epidemic in our region through a practical campaign for physical fitness and awards ceremonies such as these offer schools recognition for their efforts."