Resume outdoor activities to increase sun exposure of students: MP school education department

Resume yoga, PT and outdoor games in the government schools to fulfil the need of Vitamin D and calcium among students. The school education department directed the principal of all government schools of Madhya Pradesh to increase sun exposure of students.

Madhya Pradesh is the second state after Uttar Pradesh, which has issued instructions regarding sun exposure.

Recently Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) directed to all states and Union Territories, calling for more physical activities under the sun to tackle diseases, like rickets (soft bones and skeletal deformities), caused by Vitamin D deficiency.

Rashtriya Siksha Kendra (RSK) commissioner Irene Cynthia released a circular on Wednesday and asked the schools to call experts and doctors too to explain the students about the importance of sun exposure and deficiency of Vitamin D.

Cynthia said, “The major problem lies in urban and semi-urban areas so we have asked the schools to make a log in this regard to check the time of outdoor activities of students. The log will help the school principals to prepare a plan according to it.”

In Madhya Pradesh, the school department came to know that many schools have discontinued the morning prayers, PT and outdoor activities due to the dearth of staff.

“We are also concerned about the students’ health. It is quite difficult to organize the outdoor activities on a daily basis in the schools, which are being run by one or two teachers,” said a teacher.

MP Teachers’ Association general secretary Ashutosh Pandey said, “This a good decision but school education department should also think about fulfilling the vacant posts of sports teachers in the schools, which are lying vacant for a long time.”

First Published: Jul 25, 2019 17:43 IST