MVPA60 stands for "Moderate- to Vigorous-intensity Physical Activity for 60 minutes a day." This is an important guideline formulated by the Hong Kong Education Bureau to promote students’ physical and mental health.
The goal of MVPA60 is to encourage students to accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity exercise every day through various physical activities. Moderate-intensity activities such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling can significantly speed up the heartbeat and breathing; while vigorous-intensity activities such as long-distance running, basketball or aerobic dancing can greatly improve cardiopulmonary function. Through MVPA60, students can not only improve their physical fitness, enhance muscle strength and cardiopulmonary function, but also develop good exercise habits and lay the foundation for a lifelong healthy life. Moderate physical activity can also help relieve stress, enhance self-confidence, and promote mental health.
The Education Bureau requires schools to properly arrange MVPA60 in the curriculum, provide diversified physical education courses and extracurricular activities, so that students can enjoy sports and cultivate a positive attitude towards sports participation. Only by allowing students to develop the habit of regular exercise from an early age can Hong Kong create a healthier future generation. As one of the school's seven learning goals, developing a healthy lifestyle is crucial. Schools must provide a variety of sports activities to help students develop skills, improve physical fitness, acquire knowledge, and cultivate positive values and habits. In line with the WHO's recommendation that teenagers accumulate an average of 60 minutes of MVPA per day per week, the Education Bureau has incorporated this standard into the relevant curriculum syllabus.
"MVPA60" is an important benchmark that schools should actively help students achieve. By providing ample opportunities inside and outside the classroom, schools can play a key role in nurturing the physical and mental health of the next generation. The Education Bureau will fully support schools in implementing this important work.
Table of contents
1. How to apply for MVPA60 grant
In order to further support schools in promoting healthy lifestyles, the Education Bureau issued a circular in February 2024 to remind schools to provide students with sufficient opportunities for physical activity, and provide specific strategic suggestions and teaching resources to assist schools in helping students increase the amount of physical activity. , develop an active and healthy lifestyle. The Education Bureau also plans to issue a one-time special subsidy of NT$150,000 to each public sector and direct subsidy school school in the 2023/24 school year (to support schools in promoting campus sports atmosphere and the "MVPA60" one-off subsidy) to support schools in creating a more ideal environment. Campus sports atmosphere and promotion"MVPA60" plan. Schools can flexibly use this fund to organize related activities and programs, such as the development of information technology services, student activity competitions, learning exchange inspections, and the purchase of sports equipment. This funding is intended to help schools implement the concept of MVPA60 and create a campus environment that is more conducive to the healthy growth of students.
Below we will discuss how schools should apply for and use the one-off subsidy to support schools in promoting campus sports atmosphere and the "MVPA60", as well as important matters that need to be paid attention to during the application process. 1.
Schools can use the support to promote campus sports atmosphere and the "MVPA60" one-off subsidy to adopt diversified measures, including:
1. Purchase new physical education equipment and equipment to increase students’ physical activity options in school.
2. Organize various types of sports activities and competitions to cultivate students' interest in sports.
3. Organize students to go out for inspections and exchanges to broaden their horizons.
4. Hire sports professionals to provide training and guidance to improve teachers’ teaching capabilities.
5. Use information technology services to make physical education classes more interactive and attractive.
2. How to apply for support for schools to promote campus sports atmosphere and "MVPA60" one-off subsidy
Application process and precautions
Base on the When applying for and using grants, schools need to pay attention to the following matters:
1. Make sure the application documents are complete and submitted on time.
2. Properly plan the use of funds according to the guidance of the Education Bureau.
3. Incorporate the effectiveness of activities into the school’s overall evaluation and make appropriate reviews.
4. Ensure transparency in the use of funds and make detailed reports on usage.
Plan points
1. All government, aided, subsidized and special schools in Hong Kong as well as directly funded schools are eligible to apply for this subsidy.
2. The Education Bureau will provide a one-time subsidy of $150,000 to each aided school (including special school), caput school and direct subsidy school in March 2024.
3. Schools can flexibly use this grant in the 2026/27 school year or before to support the development or optimization of active and healthy campus policies, as well as promote campus sports atmosphere and "MVPA60".
4. Public schools and direct aid schools can use this grant across academic years starting from the current academic year until the end of the 2026/27 academic year, and continue to use the unused balance until August 31, 2027.
5. The school does not need to actively submit an application, and the relevant subsidies will be directly deposited into the school account. For government schools, the subsidy will be disbursed in the form of budgetary allocations.
6. allowanceIt can be used to develop or purchase sports-related IT services, organize sports activities, travel for exchanges and inspections, improve sports equipment, etc.
3. The importance of promoting school sports atmosphere
According to the World Health Organization’s recommendations, children and adolescents aged 5-17 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA60) every day. Schools play a vital role in providing students with opportunities to participate in a wide range of sporting activities both inside and outside the classroom.
- The importance of comprehensive physical education courses in schools cannot be ignored, so schools should make physical education a priority. In addition to traditional physical education courses, schools should also consider incorporatingMVPA60(at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day) is incorporated into the curriculum to help students maintain a healthy lifestyle. In addition, qualified teachers should provide engaging and skills-based physical education lessons that enable students to develop basic movement skills and build a solid foundation for future athletic development.
- It is very important to use school time for physical activities as it helps students maintain a healthy lifestyle. Schools should schedule physical activities at different times of the day, such as in the morning before school, in the middle of class and after school. In the morning, morning exercise can be planned to allow students to move their bodies before starting their day of study. Stretching exercises can be arranged in the middle of class or during lunch break to allow students to move their muscles and reduce the pressure of academic work. Through these arrangements, schools can ensure that students accumulate at least 45 minutes of physical activity every day, which will help them grow physically and mentally healthy.
- Through creative game design and sports practice,Diverse sports activitiesIt can also help students develop different skills and abilities. By participating in a variety of different types of activities, students learn important skills such as teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. For example, the sports and STEM innovative course deeply integrates STEM concepts with physical education teaching. This course uses platforms such as Makecode Arcade and Pictoblox AI to allow primary school students to explore the field of sports technology in an interactive way and improve their sports skills and STEM literacy. Students will apply programming knowledge in sports activities and use Micro:bit sensors to create sports projects, such as posture correctors, smart skipping ropes, etc. They will also train AI models to recognize sports postures and develop interactive sports games that incorporate somatosensory. In the sports and STEM innovation course, students will have the opportunity to create the following works, such as AI-driven somatosensory games, intelligent obstacle course games, etc. Students will learn the basics of programming, create smart trainers and interactive sports games, and improve sports skills and innovative thinking.
- Parent and community involvement play an important role in promoting physical activity in schools. Schools can increase students' physical activity levels by organizing various activities, workshops or fitness challenges to encourage family participation. In addition to activities within the school, schools can also partner with local community centers or sports clubs to provide students with more opportunities to participate in a variety of physical activities. Through the active participation of parents and the community, schools can create a more colorful physical activity environment for students.
- Teacher professional development is very important to improve teachers’ teaching abilities and professional knowledge. By participating in various forms of professional development opportunities, such as workshops, training courses or collaborations with physical education experts, teachers can learn the latest teaching methods and practices and apply this knowledge to the physical education courses they teach. This not only helps improve teachers’ professional capabilities, but also has a profound impact on students’ learning outcomes. Through continuous professional development, teachers can continuously improve their teaching standards so that students can benefit from more quality and effective physical education.
The conclusion states that by implementingThese strategies and suggestions, schools can establish an environment that promotes MVPA60, thereby promoting students' participation in regular physical activities. By actively working with parents, schools can promote family support for children's love of sport. In addition to engaging with parents, schools can also work with sports clubs or other external organizations to expand the scope and resources of school sports activities. By providing a comprehensive physical education, schools help build students' interest in and understanding of sport and further develop their concern for their own physical and mental health and well-being. These measures will help schools play a key role in educating future healthy generations.
Conclusion
The Education Bureau prioritizes students' physical health by creating a vibrant physical education environment and cultivating students' lifelong habits of focusing on health and fitness. The Education Bureau integrates technology and cooperates with external organizations to provide professional development for teachers to ensure that schools have the necessary resources and support to implement effective physical education programs (Support schools in promoting campus sports atmosphere and "MVPA60" one-off subsidy). In addition, the school also promotes all-round physical and mental health through parent and community participation.
Going forward, it will be critical to sustain and expand these efforts, including continued faculty development, further collaboration, and devoting resources to support innovation. Through these, Hong Kong schools can further cultivate a culture that values physical and mental health and create a healthier and more positive future for students.
In short, Hong Kong schools’ efforts in promoting physical education and the MVPA60 program are not only important for students’ physical health, but also for their overall development and well-being. Let us continue to support and prioritize physical education to ensure every child can thrive and reach their highest potential.
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