More play in curriculum

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THERE is a crying need to revamp the current school system to make going to school a much more fun, meaningful and productive experience.

Children love to play. Through play, they interact with their peers to acquire the desired character traits, social skills, mental and psychological toughness, which, together, will form the foundation for their lives as adults in the working environment.

Space, time and opportunities are the requisite ingredients to jump-start children's latent propensity to give vent to their abundant energy and natural instinct to run, jump, chase, catch, wrestle or kick in the company of peers.

Every school should have a large playing field to cater to our children's natural instinct to expend their physical and nervous energy safely and usefully.

In addition, sufficient time, factored into their curriculum time, would adequately satiate the young ones' inherent need to stretch limbs, strengthen muscles and improve overall physical and mental health.

Another important requisite is the influence that emanates from the adults (teachers and school heads). Their positive personal attitude and inclination towards play can truly motivate and encourage the children to go all out to have fun during play time.

The robust and competitive nature of play and games brings out the sublime qualities of leadership, fair play, mental toughness, perseverance and determination when properly overseen and guided.

The overall academic curriculum should be holistically trimmed to allow sufficient time for the slower learners to keep pace with their brighter peers, without crimping the latter.

More time would be freed up for teachers to focus on grounding learners, especially the weaker ones, in the essentials of the curriculum.

While it would be less stressful to keep the pedal off the academic excellence push, pulling in the opposite direction is also detrimental.

A huge pat on the back for those who have excelled in examinations and co-curricular activities would motivate and spur others.

School heads can and must lead the move to drastically cut down on extra classes, holiday lessons, voluminous homework, and so on.

Ho Kong Loon