Indeed, selected athletes who enrol in the Junior Sports Academies will have ample opportunities to play other sports besides the ones they specialise in. Our physical education programme allows students to try different sports and develop physical skills while having fun. Co-curricular activities (CCAs) enable students to pursue their interests and develop other skills. Schools also offer numerous school-based enrichment activities.

Mr Loke also called on the Government to invest more in children's sport. The Ministry of Education (MOE) works closely with national sports associations (NSAs), the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) to align our programmes to national sporting policies.

Currently, around 40 percent of students participate actively in sports through CCAs. Through the Sports Education Programme (SEP), a collaborative effort between SSC and MOE, every school is also provided with $10,000 to create opportunities for all students to play new recreational sports. To date, the SEP has benefited close to 150,000 students from almost 90 per cent of primary and secondary schools. MOE will also spend $700 million over the next few years to enhance school sports facilities, including building an indoor sports hall in every school.

All students are given opportunities to progress from recreational to competitive sports. Those with potential will represent their school in inter-school games competitions and be groomed by the NSAs. Many of the national athletes were first exposed to sports via CCAs and inter-school games competitions. The system has worked well for schools and we will continue to improve on it.

MOE will continue to support the national sports strategy through the development of relevant education programmes and provision of physical and financial resources.

Sum Chee Wah (Ms)
Director, Education Programmes Division
Ministry of Education