Government schools to get grants for buying sports equipment

Scheme to make school education an integrated whole

Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar. File

The Centre will give government schools grants for buying sports equipment so as to promote sports in schools.

This is the integral part of Samagra Shiksha, a scheme to make school education an integrated whole from pre-school to Class-12.

“Sachin Tendulkar wanted to say, in his maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha, that sports should be seen as important, but he did not get a chance to speak. But he will be happy that the government is taking it [his idea] forward,” Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said here on Thursday. “Each year, the government will give money to all 11.5 lakh government schools for the purchase of sports equipment, so that one hour can be devoted to sports daily.”

A note from the Ministry said sports education is an integral part of the curriculum.

Every primary school will receive sports equipment at a cost of ₹5,000, upper primary school ₹10,000 and secondary and senior secondary school ₹25,000.

Mr. Javadekar said the government paid attention to learning outcomes so as to check the spread of low-quality education.