School sports are entering a golden opportunity period for rapid development: May 25, 2015, 12:01 PM
In traditional Chinese culture, the "Six Arts" of a gentleman include rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. This philosophy emphasizes both inner moral cultivation and external skills, balancing civil and military abilities, as well as knowledge and practical training. It not only focuses on character development but also highlights physical exercise and the influence of music.
Whether in Eastern or Western cultural systems, the role of physical education in promoting individual physical and mental health and all-around development is irreplaceable. School sports serve as the frontline of this effort. Through participation in school sports, students can improve their physical fitness, gain self-awareness, learn to interact with others, develop teamwork spirit, and understand respect and rules.
Despite some challenges during its development, China’s school sports have recently gained more attention from all sectors of society, especially in the context of the bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and the deepening of sports reforms. This has led to a period of high-speed growth and a golden opportunity for further development.
Campus Football Leads the Way
On December 26, 2014, the finals of the U11 Men's Division of the Shanghai Campus Football League were held at the 4th Pingliang Primary School, a football traditional school in Shanghai. The event attracted nearly 400 students from the competing schools, and five-star sports TV stations broadcasted the match live. The two-month Shanghai Campus Football League introduced age-based group divisions for the first time in national campus soccer tournaments, implemented a home-and-away system, and added new initiatives to promote women's football, injecting fresh energy into the development of campus football.
Since the launch of the National Youth Campus Football Campaign in 2009, by the end of 2012, football activities had reached every province, city, and district in mainland China, with 5,084 schools established and 191,766 registered students. Over 2.7 million students participated in football. In the recent "General Plan for the Reform and Development of Chinese Football," 17 mentions of campus football highlight its importance, positioning it as a key area for school sports reform.
Wang Dengfeng, director of the National Youth Campus Soccer Team Leading Group Office, emphasized that campus football is a pioneering goal for school sports reform and educational modernization. It serves as a pilot project and demonstration initiative.
This year, campus football will focus on three main tasks: identifying and selecting feature schools, implementing weekly football lessons starting in September, and continuing the existing competition system until the new four-tier league system is completed in September.
The competition system is not about creating championship teams but encouraging more children to participate. The focus remains on campus competitions at class, grade, and school levels.
Specialized Physical Education for Lifelong Fitness
While campus football leads the way, other initiatives are also being explored. At the third session of the Twelfth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Yao Ming proposed specialized physical education classes. His idea is that students should master at least one specific sport, understand its terminology and rules, and appreciate its cultural significance—just like learning an instrument.
Bao Mingxiao, director of the Sports Social Sciences Research Center, supports this view, noting that many popular sports are underutilized due to outdated school policies. To tap into the full potential of the sports market, school sports education must be reformed.
In Shanghai, pilot schools have already introduced specialized PE classes. From November 2012, 17 high schools restructured their PE programs, grouping students by interest and ability. Over 13,000 students have benefited, with 592 specialized classes offered. These include basketball, table tennis, aerobics, badminton, and martial arts.
A 2014 survey showed positive results: 81.5% of students enjoyed these classes, and 89% of teachers supported them. Additionally, student fitness improved significantly. For example, Jinhui Middle School saw a 19% increase in physical fitness pass rates between 2011 and 2013.
However, experts note that while such programs are promising in developed areas, many schools still lack the resources and trained staff needed to implement them effectively.
Ministry of Education officials stated that the goal is clear: first, to encourage children to move more, and second, to help them learn at least one or two sports skills.
The Teacher Gap Remains
As of late 2012, there was a serious shortage of physical education teachers in China. With over 300,000 full-time PE teachers in compulsory education, the average number in township schools was just 0.7. This gap severely limits the growth of school sports, affecting both football and specialized classes.
To address this, the Ministry of Education plans to train 6,000 national-level football teachers in 2015 and bring in foreign coaches over the next decade. However, many teachers still face professional mismatches, with some teaching sports they are not qualified for.
Yao Ming humorously noted that if someone speaks poorly, they might say, “Your language is taught by a PE teacher.†But in reality, many students are taught sports by non-specialists.
With a significant gap in the quality and quantity of PE teachers, it is crucial for school sports to seize this opportunity and invest in better training and staffing to meet growing demands.
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