£500 million cash boost for school sport
All schoolchildren in England will have at least four hours of sport a week by the end of the decade under a £500 million boost for school sport announced by Tony Blair today.
The Prime Minister said the funding would pay for the completion of 400 specialist sports colleges as well as bringing new coaching expertise into schools.
Announced during a visit to Waverly School in south London this morning, the proposals are part of the Government’s drive to improve young people’s health.
“This investment will give today’s children new opportunities to take part in sport – inside and outside the school gate and before, during and after the school day,” Mr Blair said.
“Sport is not only important for its own sake. It teaches kids how to win and lose and how to be part of a team.
“It is also important in tackling obesity in young people and can act as an antidote for anti-social behaviour by channelling their energies.”
The Government aims to give 85 per cent of five- to 16-year-olds at least two hours of PE at school each week by 2008 and to provide the facilities and staff for them to have up to three more hours outside school hours.
The new funding will go towards improving the links between community sports clubs and schools, training and developing sports’ teachers skills and employing new managers to organise matches and sports events.
