As the saying goes, "train hard in the coldest days of winter." As the weather on the island city gradually turns colder, this should be a good time for primary and secondary school students to build up their health. However, a recent investigation by reporters found that some schools have reluctantly "pared down" their PE classes, turning them into games, entertainment, or free activity sessions. Some PE teachers even lamented that giving a real PE class requires a lot of courage due to numerous concerns and pressures. A relevant official from the Municipal Education Bureau stated that primary and secondary schools must offer sufficient and complete PE classes. Qingdao will launch a winter long-distance running campaign for students in December. Schools shouldn’t avoid physical activities altogether just because of safety concerns.
Student sprains ankle, PE teacher gets reprimanded
A young PE teacher at an elementary school in Qingdao, Mr. Li, has been feeling quite troubled lately. During a PE class a few days ago, he led his students in a jumping warm-up exercise when one boy, being overly active, twisted his ankle. "The student said it was nothing, that he could still run and jump, so I didn’t think much of it," Mr. Li said.
But the next day, this small incident turned into a major issue. "The boy’s mother came to the school, saying her child’s ankle had swollen significantly after PE class and demanded to know how the PE teacher had conducted the lesson," Mr. Li recounted. The school quickly asked him to apologize to the parent. The principal even spoke with Mr. Li in person, emphasizing that student safety is the top priority during PE classes.
"I rarely encountered student injuries before, but this time it made me feel like teaching PE is like taking a courage test. To get students to really move around, PE teachers need a lot of bravery," Mr. Li said, feeling dejected after the long talk with the principal. He admitted he had indeed been careless, but minor bumps and scrapes are inevitable in PE classes. He hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from both parents and the school. "I’m caught between wanting no injuries at all and encouraging more exercise—it’s really a dilemma."
PE classes reduced to child’s play
Mr. Li’s frustration is not unique to him. Reporters learned that PE classes in primary and secondary schools have long been treated as secondary. Parents are indifferent, and schools don’t prioritize them. Although education authorities have repeatedly mandated sufficient PE class hours, some schools’ PE lessons have become almost symbolic.
Mr. Sun, a PE teacher at an elementary school, observed that students’ physical fitness has noticeably declined compared to the past, with a significant increase in overweight children. He noted that not only are the intensity and difficulty of exercises being reduced in PE classes, but many schools treat PE as little more than child’s play.
"In a 40-minute PE class, 10 minutes are spent on warm-ups and jogging, and the rest is free time. Naturally, the kids who like sports will engage in activity, but those who don’t can easily slack off—maybe just taking a walk or chatting, achieving little in terms of exercise," Mr. Sun said. He believes this has created a vicious cycle where "the less you exercise, the worse your fitness becomes, and the worse your fitness, the less you dare to exercise."
Qingdao Qiyuan School’s political education director, Zhang Pixi, stated that in Qingdao’s primary and secondary schools, "risky" PE events such as vaulting horses, goat jumps, horizontal bars, and javelin have almost disappeared. Some schools don’t even let students run 1,000 meters during sports meets. Students’ physical fitness has declined severely, with some unable to complete even one pull-up. Zhang Pixi explained that Qiyuan School has already replaced regular recess exercises with running during break times. Elementary students run nearly 1,000 meters and jump rope for one minute, while middle school students run 1,200 meters and jump rope for two minutes. "The colder it gets, the more important it is to get kids moving. So far, the results have been quite positive."
Schools avoid risks, cut back on PE
Currently, most schools implement a "one-vote veto" system for student safety, making the risks of getting students physically active seem unpredictable to many institutions. As a result, it’s easier to just avoid physical activity altogether. Although education authorities emphasize the importance of ensuring students have enough daily exercise time, the actual effectiveness of such exercise in some schools remains unsatisfactory.
"We all understand the importance of physical exercise, but schools also have to consider risk factors. What parents demand most from schools is their children’s academic performance, and for PE classes, the only requirement is that no one gets hurt," admitted a junior high school principal. To avoid potential trouble from parents if students get injured, schools have had to reduce the intensity of PE activities accordingly.
"From my teaching experience, if students are not in good physical condition, it’s hard for them to complete normal academic tasks, which directly affects learning efficiency. Appropriate physical exercise can also help relieve stress, so high school students especially shouldn’t give up on physical activity," said Li Xiaojie, a PE teacher at Qingdao No. 17 High School. To spark students’ interest in exercising, No. 17 High School allows students to choose their PE content freely, selecting from subjects like basketball, soccer, and volleyball. Student enthusiasm for PE classes has been fairly good as a result.
"Many schools, especially primary and secondary ones, downplay physical activities mainly to avoid the trouble caused by student injuries. If a child gets hurt during school sports, the school might be held responsible. Many schools cancel long-distance runs out of this fear, worried about being implicated if something happens to students. This is actually irresponsible toward the students," said Liu Changqing, a member of the Municipal Political Consultative Conference and chairman of Huanghai College. He believes schools shouldn’t take an evasive stance when it comes to ensuring students’ physical health. At Huanghai College, he organized first- and second-year students to run for 30 minutes every morning. After a period of implementation, students’ overall physical fitness improved significantly. The key, he said, lies in proper guidance from schools.
Parents overindulge, leading to less exercise
Not only do schools have safety concerns, but parents do too. Nowadays, most families have only one child, who is treated as a precious treasure. Parents raise their children very cautiously, afraid of any accidental injuries. They’d rather have their children attend various training and tutoring classes during weekends or holidays than let them go outside to exercise.
"Physical health is the most important thing for children. Without a healthy body, nothing else matters. Both schools and parents should avoid the misconception of prioritizing academics over physical fitness," said Ma Hui, principal of Hudao Elementary School. Providing insufficient exercise opportunities under the excuse of safety essentially deprives students of their right to physical and mental development. Overindulgent parenting also directly impacts children’s physical health.
Ma Hui added that with parental permission or encouragement, many children are confined to playing indoors and are not allowed to "rough it outside." As a result, they become addicted to digital devices, staying home to watch TV, surf the internet, or play with their phones. These modern forms of entertainment are encroaching on students’ already limited leisure time, competing with physical activities for their attention.
Getting students to move in winter
At a press conference last year, a municipal education official revealed that Qingdao students’ physical fitness indicators have been declining for 12 consecutive years, highlighting the importance of physical exercise for primary and secondary school students. On the other hand, isolated incidents have left schools feeling extremely anxious.
Reporters learned that so far this year in Qingdao, there have been three cases of students collapsing and dying suddenly during PE classes, including one middle schooler and two high schoolers. Similar sudden deaths during PE classes have also occurred in multiple regions across China recently. Winter is also a peak season for student injuries such as falls and collisions, all of which make many schools wary about conducting PE classes.
"It’s unfortunate when a student dies suddenly during PE class, but such events are extremely rare. Schools should assess each student’s physical condition and pay special attention to those with specific health issues, ensuring they engage in appropriate exercise. Parents should also fulfill their duty to inform and maintain timely communication with schools regarding their child’s health status," the education official explained. Schools must offer full and complete PE classes and must not reduce or occupy PE time for any reason.
The official acknowledged that many PE teachers are now overly cautious in their teaching, avoiding slightly difficult or risky movements whenever possible to prevent accidents. "PE teachers should be bolder. As long as they follow standard lesson plans, proceed step by step, provide proper demonstrations and protection during teaching, and ensure students warm up adequately, so-called risky activities can definitely be carried out safely," the official said. Qingdao plans to launch a citywide Sunshine Sports Winter Long-Distance Running Campaign in mid-December to encourage one million primary and secondary school students to get moving this winter.