TEHRAN – It is essential to increase the physical education hours for girl students, Masoumeh Ebtekar, vice president for women’s and family affairs has said.

The importance of increasing young women's level of physical activity is seen as a priority all over the world. 

Studies explore the influence of psychological and social influences, by examining contrasting accounts from young women who ‘always’ and ‘never’ participate in sport or physical activity. The main differences lie with the always participates, relative to the never participates, reporting more positive images of ‘sport’, positive perceptions of their own ability, firm motivations and personal choice to engage in activities and the supporting influence of their friends and family.

Further case study analyses reveal the friendship group as the primary influence over all other factors considered.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Education and the presidential office for women’s and family affairs emphasizing the two subjects of “life skills” and “physical education and refreshment”, Mehr quoted Ebtekar as saying.

Referring the importance of physical education for girls, the VP put the emphasis on presence of specialist physical education teachers at primary schools.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Mohammad Bat'haei stressed the need for more contribution of families to fulfill the aim of more physical education for girls adding the Sina TV network, is an effective tool for interaction of families and schools.

Sina TV network is a national media established and run by the Education Ministry focusing on students and their related issues. 

A working group was also assigned to follow up on drawing up a multilateral memorandum of understanding between the presidential office for women’s and family affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Sports and Youths in order to increase the physical education hours for girls studying in first, second and third grades over the current year (March 2018-March 2019).

NM/MQ/MG