Authorities in HCM City are speeding the implementation of projects to provide swimming lessons for school children.
Swimming is a key survival skill
Despite efforts having been being made, major challenges remain in realising their targets.
Gearing up
Thu Duc District has taken the lead in providing swimming lessons for students. After two years of implementation, the district has provided lessons to 70% of primary students and 99% of secondary students. The district targets to provide lessons to over 70% of primary students this school year.
Leaders of the district\'s Office of Education and Training attributed the results to tight cooperation between schools, families and the project developers.
With the support from local government, the Office of Education and Training in District No. 1 expects to provide swimming lessons to all grade 3rd students this school year.
In the meantime, Binh Chanh District\'s Office of Education and Training is collaborating with all swimming pools in the district to provide support.
Le Van Quang, a physical training official from the municipal Department of Education and Training, said swimming had been among the department\'s prioritised subjects in recent years due to the rising number of children that have died from drowning. Currently, 40 primary schools, 70 secondary schools and 75 high schools in the city are providing regular swimming lessons for their students, he shared.
Challenges
However, many schools have yet to be able to provide lessons for their students due to a lack of facilities. In some areas, schools are too far from swimming pools.
Earlier, students of Huynh Tan Phat Secondary School in District No. 7 went to Dang Khoa Swimming Pool for their lessons, but the pool recently closed.
"Most of schools lack space for a swimming pool. Despite being aware of the vital need for swimming skills, these schools have no other choice but wait," teacher Tran Van Hoang said.
Chung Tan Phong, General Secretary of HCM City Underwater Sport Federation, said swimming lessons had seen considerable progress in recent years due to increased attention from schools and families.
However, according to him, most of students had to take extra classes, in addition to their compulsory study at schools. This meant that they had little time for swimming lessons.
Some schools are hesitant to organise swimming classes for their students due to safety concerns, he noted.
In addition, almost all the swimming pools in the city were overcrowded, he added.
