PHYSICAL LITERACY ASSESSMENTS TO BE CARRIED OUT IN 12 SCHOOLS

As efforts continue to promote physical activity locally, physical literacy assessments will be carried out in 12 schools over the next two weeks.

A team of physical literacy specialists from Canada Sports for Life will be in the Territory from today until October 10th conducting assessments with selected schools to encourage movement across the curriculum.

Education Officer, Mrs. Heida Joyles-Selwood said “The team will be introducing the PLAY Builder programme to physical education teachers and working with classroom teachers and early childhood practitioners to encourage physical activity.”

According to Mrs. Joyles-Selwood the Physical Literacy programme is a part of the overall Healthy Schools initiative launched by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Caribbean Public Health Agency to improve the diet and physical activity patterns among school children by instilling knowledge, skills and providing motivation for adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors.

While all primary schools are participating in the Healthy School Project, only a total of 12 schools which include public, private and pre-schools were selected to participate in phase I of this project.

Participating schools are Althea Scatliffe, Francis Lettsome, Leonora Delville and Jost Van Dyke Primary Schools, Bregado Flax Education Centre-Primary Division, Agape Total Life Academy and Pelican Gate School as well as New Life, Little Light House, New Testament, Visions and Jost Van Dyke preschools.

The community is encouraged to support this initiative by increasing their child’s physical activity on a daily basis.

Physical Literacy is the competence, confidence and motivation to enjoy a variety of sports and physical activities. It increases physical fitness and health and promotes healthy lifestyle habits, social skills, physiological wellness, cognitive skills and educational success.

The mission to enhance physical literacy locally is powered through a multi-agency collaboration between the Ministries of Health and Social Development and Education and Culture as well as the BVI Olympic Committee and Canada Sports for Life.

Persons interested in learning more about physical literacy are encouraged to tune into Lyte Vibrations on CBN Radio 90.9 FM on Wednesday October 2 at 8:00 a.m. or follow Lyte Communications on Facebook at fb.me/lytecommunications to learn more about the initiative and why you should support it.

The Ministries of Education and Culture and Health and Social Development and the BVI Olympic Committee are committed to supporting the development of our children with physical literacy.

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