ISLAMABAD: Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood on Thursday said without taking part in sports activities students could not make progress as it is imperative for their healthy life.

The minister said this while inaugurating inter-zonal games of students from educational institutions under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) at Pakistan Sports Complex.

He said the sports event was the sign of a significant decline in Covid-19 pandemic and showed students were back to normal school life.

The FDE, which has over 400 schools and colleges, has divided the institutions into six zones to hold the sports events at the zonal level.

The events have entered the inter-zonal level and will culminate on Nov 11.

Boy and girl students are participating in athletic events, including 100 metre, 200 metre and in rally race. Javelin throws, high jump, etc., are also part of the games. Similarly, volleyball, football, badminton and table tennis events are also being organised.

The annual sports activity has been part of FDE’s educational calendar but remained suspended for years.

The minister said Covid-19 had badly affected the education sector and sports activity was meant to bring students out of stress.

He asked the students to keep focus on education and sports activities as well, adding education is only way for socieconomic development of the country.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan supports such activities and sports events will be held in future too.

Parliamentary Secretary Education Wajiha Qamar, FDE Director General Dr Ikram Ali Malik, Secretary Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah, DG Sports Board retired Col Asif Zaman, President Federal Government School Teacher Association Malik Ameer and teachers were also present on the occasion.

Speaking to Dawn, the FDE chief said the event was meant to make students realise that everything was normal now as they suffered mental stress almost for two years due to the pandemic.

He said FDE had been focusing on sports and now in all schools, where space is available, multi-purpose courts/grounds will be constructed to provide students a chance to take parts in games of their interest.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2021