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THE recent incidents of people drowning in the sea, and in swimming pools and a reservoir, have highlighted the importance of water safety. There were suggestions that schools should include swimming lessons in the curriculum. Students who can swim could save themselves should they fall into water accidentally.
My eight-year-old daughter, who is in Primary 2, has just completed eight 1 1/2-hour lessons under the school swimming programme. We are grateful that the Ministry of Education (MOE) has decided to absorb the course fees.
However, with only eight lessons, and 30 pupils to an instructor, pupils could hardly master any swimming skill. Therefore, the objective of the swimming programme - to teach pupils to swim - has not been achieved. I believe that this is a problem faced by many schools and would like to suggest that MOE works with the various schools to arrange for pupils to attend more lessons to ensure that they are able to master at least one swimming style.
Alternatively, MOE or the schools could provide parents with the option of having their children continue with swimming lessons under a private arrangement, until they could swim.
In this way, pupils will not have to start from scratch under a different instructor.
MOE, schools and parents should work together to ensure the success of the school swimming programme.
Goh Kian Huat
MORE TIME NEEDED
With only eight lessons, and 30 pupils to an instructor, pupils could hardly master any swimming skill.
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