Hip- Hip – Hurrah!

Like sweet music to the ear and sweet -smelling fragrance to the nose, some developments in recent times have brought optimism and answered some long standing questions.

Those appeals to the senses come from some good news emerging from the walls of the Ministry of Education here in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

Reports are that moves are at an advanced stage of implementation to place Physical Education teachers in primary schools.

For those who have been following this column, it is a cause for celebration, and they would have recounted several pleas, sermonizing and advocacies being made for this to happen.

Incidentally, two editions ago, another effort was made via the caption: “Surmounting the hurdles of physical engagements”.

The most recent commentary then, lamented on the lack of structures in the primary schools, the mindset, and the general lack of interest of policy makers, relative to a meaningful Physical Education programme for students between the ages of 5 and 11.

While the exposition focused on an island wide engagement in physical activities, as a means of preventing the scourge and impact of non- communicable diseases, a plug was made for greater serious and meaningful efforts for Physical Education in the primary schools, as well as the pre-schools.

In the absence of a public statement, word on the ground gives the inkling that some positive move is being pursued.

Should things unfold in the positive vein, hopefully, it is not an episodic undertaking, but something that is built on sustainability and based on measurable objectives and results.

Getting that Physical Education programme going in the country’s primary schools’, however late it has comes, should still augur well for many of our young people.

This, as many of them, via the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College’s Applied Associates Sports Sciences Programme, have been churning out students with the practical competencies and prerequisite certification to the good.

Of critical importance too, apart from the application of their knowledge in the field of Physical Education, it gives them an opportunity to be gainfully employed, thus opening up alternatives for the young population of the country.

So, we seem set for a take off, as, should the Physical Education efforts take root and the synergies are forged, one can expect a change in mentality towards sports and ultimately, an up tick in fortunes whenever St Vincent and the Grenadines ventures out in competitions, championships or tournaments.

But as we set ourselves for something that has had a clarion call, in all the execution, parents and their buy-in, are integral to the process.

Likewise, our national sporting associations have to be major stakeholders in not only mapping out the matrices, meshing of programmes, but partner and collaborate with the Ministry of Education.

And, almost right on cue, there was a pronouncement by President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, Otashie Spring, earlier this week, that his organization intends to have a presence in the primary schools.

Likewise, there is a renewed vigour, and a new thrust in the Kids’ Athletics programme under the aegis of Team Athletics SVG.

Certainly, that programme should form the genesis for others to be rolled out by the state agencies, inclusive of the potentialities of the highly anticipated PE programme in the primary educational institutions.

Overall, the pieces are being put together, as St Vincent and the Grenadines seeks not only make up for lost ground, but to get in line with the rest of the region.

As hinted before, whatever is done must be carefully crafted and with the right personnel in place. But for now, let us savour the prospects and revel in the possibilities of seeing the bright lights at the end of the proverbial tunnel.