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PART Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture

Physical education in schools is intended to facilitate the development of children's sound bodies and minds and to nurture in children the ability and attitude to enjoy sports throughout life. It plays an important role in the overall educational activities of schools.

In order to help schools enrich instruction in physical education, the Ministry has been promoting the provision of better facilities for physical education, the organization of various workshops and seminars, the dispatch of physical education and sports leaders to schools, and other local government programs. It has also been striving to facilitate the utilization of excellent sports leaders in physical education programs in schools through new systems of specialist teacher certificates (including those for physical education teachers) and of special part-time lecturers.

Athletic clubs in schools play a positive role in ensuring the sound development of children's bodies and minds. With this in view, in 1988 the Ministry started a program for subsidizing the dispatch of relevant experts to schools as athletic club leaders, and in 1990 it started a program for subsidizing training programs for athletic club leaders, as well as a program for designating a number of pilot schools conducting studies on athletic clubs in schools.