Physical education should be an examinable subject on the Leaving Certificate curriculum, offering students points towards third level admission, the Labour Party has proposed.
At the launch of a policy document in Dublin today, Labour's spokeswoman on sport Mary Upton said the party was looking at ways of getting more people involved in sport, and one way of achieving this was better physical education facilities in schools.
The Dublin South Central TD said PE could be tested through practical and written modules as a leaving certificate subject with the written exam, focusing on sports science, medicine and physiology.
“In the same way as you have woodwork examined in school, you could have an examination that could relate to participation by students…there would be a facility for them to have a choice to a certain extent," Ms Upton said.
“It is important that if there are people really interested in sport as a career they have that opportunity to participate and to have a practical input,."
The make up of any exam would be dependent on co-operation with the Department of Education she said, adding the improved provision of PE teachers to schools would be “minimum” requirement.
The party's A level playing pitch policy document recommended more Government spending be directed towards multi-use sporting facilities.
Ms Upton said €725 million has been spent on the sports capital programme but future State funding should be prioritised at getting people active in the existing facilities. She called for a dispute resolution process to be put in place as a condition of any future funding.
“Legal cases should not determine how money that is dedicated to sport should be spent so the national governing bodies would be expected to sign up to a dispute resolution process based on if they are to be given funding.”
Ms Upton also called for greater co-operation between sports bodies, schools, local authorities and the HSE to ensure awareness of the “role physical exercise plays in staying healthy”.
