Putting the fun in juniors' school games

Pupils to get more playing time as changes in game formats aim to make sport enjoyable

Tia Foong Po Shiun (left) from Haig Girls' School's football team and Victoria Junior College's high jumper Kampton Kam jointly lighting the torch with Senior Minister of State for Education Chee Hong Tat at yesterday's opening of the National School
Andi Mustakeem (left) and Adam Aqil, both from Qihua Primary School's sepak takraw team, juggling the ball. The NSG junior division will undergo changes in areas such as game formats, equipment, awards and recognition and the use of substitutes. ST PHOTOS: TIMOTHY DAVID
Tia Foong Po Shiun (left) from Haig Girls' School's football team and Victoria Junior College's high jumper Kampton Kam jointly lighting the torch with Senior Minister of State for Education Chee Hong Tat at yesterday's opening of the National School
Tia Foong Po Shiun (left) from Haig Girls' School's football team and Victoria Junior College's high jumper Kampton Kam jointly lighting the torch with Senior Minister of State for Education Chee Hong Tat at yesterday's opening of the National School Games at the OCBC Arena. ST PHOTOS: TIMOTHY DAVID
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Krupa Palaniappan remembers feeling sad last year, warming the bench during the National School Games (NSG) and coming on only when her teammates were injured or during "easy" basketball games.

From this year, however, the Kranji Primary School pupil will get more playing time following changes to the NSG junior division, for ages nine to 11, that the Ministry of Education unveiled at the NSG opening ceremony at the OCBC Arena yesterday .

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 24, 2019, with the headline Putting the fun in juniors' school games. Subscribe