Some of your schoolmates are extremely talented football and kho-kho players. However, your school just offers cricket and volleyball coaching. With your partner discuss-(i) How this impacts the students who play football and kho-kho? (ii) The ways in which this situation can be resolve?
Answers
You can either use the following discussion or develop your own taking ideas from it:
Student A: Hey where have you been! I wanted to discuss something important with you!
Student B: I had gone to canteen! What happened?
Student A: Well, my brother is quite upset. He is a state level football player, but our school neither has football team nor football ground. His aim is to play for Indian Foot ball team. He feels he must change the school.
Student B: I know it. not only football; similar problems are with other sports also. For example my brother is a very good kho-kho player. The school does not provide any facilities for it either.
Student A: Our school only provides facilities for just a few popular games. For example cricket, volleyball, and badminton only! There are hundreds of students who are interested in these games only. They want to play other games.
Student B: I agree with you. Do you know how much harmful this is for children. They not only are deprived of the fun and joy of playing their favourite hgames, they also are missing essential part oftheir physical and mental growth!
Student A: True! ‘A healthy mind lives in a healthy body’. Besides, sports and games are undoubtedly the building blocks of the health and character of children. Their importance in the over-all and holistic development of children cannot be denied.
Student B: Games teach us many values such as time management, concentration and focus, sportsmanship, teamwork etc. Not playing games means missing all these skills and values. Not providing the children enough sports and games faculties means doing them injustice. It is kind of illegal!
Student A: I think we must write a letter to the chairman and principal concerning this. We must request them to provide games and sports facilities for other games also. Our national teams in other sports are not as competitive as cricket.
Student B: This is the reason behind it. Most of the schools in India don’t provide enough basic facilities for most of the games. The truth is other games are more demanding and difficult to play. They require harder physical training. For example playing football requires more physical strength and stamina than cricket. Indirectly they are more beneficial to children and students.
Student A: This is a good idea. We will write the letters to the principal and chairman. If they don’t pay heed to our request, we will write a complain letter to the CBSE head office. The CBSE will instruct them to provide enough sports facilities for all the games and sports.
Follow up questions and answers:
a)How easy/difficult do you think it would be for you...?
It would not be an easy task as I would really have to face some opposition. Schools in India have limited budgets; the managements only spend as much as is required. Providing these facilities means more expenses. So I would really have to make efforts.
b) Is there a way ...might help?
Yes there is way. I will tell the principal the disadvantages of not having these facilities. For example, students leaving our school, CBSE might take action against the school. May be this might change the management’s perception.
c) How does ... affect...? Will... change if...?
Absence of the above mentioned facilities adversely affects both the school and the students; both are the losers. The school is getting a bad name for not providing enough sports facilities. The students are missing the opportunity to play, train, and develop key skills that one learns while playing.