Failure and revival: physical education and youth sport in China

Abstract

The physical health of citizens in China has declined in recent years. The provision of quality physical education, health education and youth sport programmes to more than 200 million students in grades 1 to 12 is tremendously challenging. Specific challenges are (1) sufficient funding for Ti Yu, (2) laws, (3) knowledge base, (4) time, (5) new curriculum reform, (6) youth sport and (7) teacher-coach preparation/training. The revival of physical health in China involves sound strategies, practices and fitness standards that have begun or are to be implemented. These include (but are not limited to) (1) World Health Organization recommendations, (2) collaboration between China and international scholars/agencies, (3) new Ti Yu science knowledge in Chinese languages; (4) exemplary health, physical education and youth sport curriculum materials, (5) preparation of quality physical education teachers and youth sport coaches and (6) a dedication to the revival of physically active, healthy lifestyles for stude...