Providing physical exercises should not be the schools responsibility?
While physical exercise is important, I do not believe that it is the school’s responsibility to provide physical training for its students. That is something that everyone can take care of on his or her own.
Many students get plenty of physical exercise as part of their daily life or recreation. A student who bicycles ten miles to and from school does not need more exercise. A good physical education program must take a student’s outside activity into consideration. Otherwise, some students will spend valuable class hours repeating physical exercise.
If a school offers such activities, it also suggests that students will be graded on them. The range of possible physical activities is great: football, swimming, weight lifting, ballet, ballroom dance, yoga, skiiing, horseback riding, and golf are just a few. However, the number of activities that a school could offer is small. Some students could get bad grades in physical education simply because the school could not provide an activity they enjoy or do well. This seems unfair. Research suggests that participation, not excellence, in these activities determines the psysical benefits the body will get.
Another issue is economic. Many schools do not have the money to provide gry facilities, playing fields, and athletic equipment for their student. Other schools are located in cities where the kind of space just is not available. A few shools would rather keep money for academic purposes.
Schools can certainly encourage physical activity. They can provide space for activities, events, and classes for psysical activities. They can encourage students to plan time away from academic studies to get some exercise. However, I think that providing exercise should not be the schools responsibility.