Now, parents to get HPE cards filled

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 18

The city schools have shifted the burden of the Health and Physical Education (HPE) on parents for getting the health-related information filled. 

On Tuesday, the board asked the schools to upload data of the HPE activities and work accomplished across the strands of the HPE for enabling students of Classes X and XII to appear in board exam.

The board had earlier this year introduced the Health and Physical Education (HPE) for Classes IX to XII. A ‘health and activity record’ card is a mandate which entails health-related information and physical fitness test. 

“We have got the forms printed and have given it to the parents of students. We cannot ascertain blood pressure or blood group of students at schools. Hence, we have asked the students to get these filled on their own,” said Principal Raj Bala, GGMSSS-18.

The board has also made the curriculum mandatory by saying, “Unless the schools undertake the HPE seriously and are ready with records of all strands as well as health and activity cards of all students, they will not be allowed to register their candidates for board examinations.

“Physical education teachers are already busy in conducting inter-school matches. This time-bound schedule will overburden them. Uploading data of the HPE for Classes X and XII students is not an easy task as the schools have only one post of data entry operator, who remains busy uploading day-to-day activities. Moreover, the data entry operators are busy these days in the registration of Class XI students,” said Savinder Singh, president of the Joint Action Committee.

Parents are of the opinion that the required tests and measurements were supposed to be conducted within the schools. A representation regarding the issue was also submitted to the Education Secretary and the CBSE Chairman on Thursday.

“Students can be seen queuing up at dispensaries and private clinics for this and are exposed to money-mongering medical practitioners who are asking for a hefty amount just for filling the form that too inadequately as the forms are filled without any proper test and measurements, but solely on the children’s verbatim itself,” wrote Chandigarh Parents’ Association in a letter to the CBSE. 

“This procedure of procuring the details results only in the loss of time and money of children, who should be utilising their time and energy in studies. It defeats the purpose of this programme too as the information is not based on any medical and fitness evaluation,” said the association. 

For tracking health and activity record, various fitness parameters related to health and fitness component have been mentioned in the HPE card. Each parameter has a corresponding test. There are 11 kinds of tests and these include BMI, partial curl up, flexed bent arm hang, sit and reach, 600-m run, flamingo balance test, shuttle run, sprint/dash, etc.

The other parameters include vision, ears, teeth occlusion, general body measurements, pulse, blood pressure and posture evaluation.