Program to identify sports talents of students

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

The Sports Ministry has decided to introduce a free medical test for Year Five students to identify their hidden talents in sports.

The Ministry hopes to conduct this medical test for all students with effect from this year. Following a request made by the Ministry the Sports Medical Association has agreed to conduct the test, Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage told the Sunday Observer.

According to Minister around 320,000 students sit for Year Five Scholarship Examination annually. The Ministry will conduct the medical test for all Year Five students. This would help the parents to identify the field of sports in which their children have a talent.

The Ministry is also exploring the possibility of suspending competitive sports in schools for children below 13 years. At present the students who are between eight or nine are selected by the coaches for various competitive sports. This has resulted in weakening the sports talents of students.

The sports skills of a child can be identified only after he or she reached the age of 15, the Minister said.