LAHORE: The Punjab School Education Department has announced a structured sports programme for government schools across the province, aiming to increase students’ participation in extracurricular activities and promote better physical and mental health.
According to the department, sports competitions will be organised at tehsil, district, divisional and provincial levels. Committees have been formed at each level to oversee the competitions and ensure that events are conducted according to the planned schedule.
The programme will cover a wide range of sports, including hockey, badminton, table tennis, cricket, volleyball, athletics, chess and football. The initiative is intended to provide students with opportunities to participate in different sporting activities according to their interests and abilities.
The School Education Department has directed the relevant committees to prepare and issue their respective sports activity calendars by the end of September. Schools have also been instructed to encourage maximum participation among students.
Officials believe that regular sports competitions can play an important role in students’ overall development. Participation in physical activities can help improve fitness while also encouraging teamwork, discipline, confidence and healthy competition.
The four-tier competition structure is also expected to provide a pathway for identifying promising young athletes. Students who perform well at lower levels could receive opportunities to progress to higher-level competitions and represent their districts or divisions.
The initiative comes as Punjab continues efforts to strengthen extracurricular activities in government schools. Alongside academic learning, officials are increasingly focusing on activities that contribute to students’ physical and social development.
The department has emphasised that the sports programme is not limited to competition but is also intended to encourage a healthier and more active school environment.
The new schedule is expected to bring greater organisation to school sports across Punjab and give thousands of students more opportunities to demonstrate their abilities on the playing field.
