Shudir Baran Mazi

Physical education is not just about games or exercise, it is a kind of life-long education that develops a person into a healthy, conscious, self-reliant and responsible citizen. The importance of physical education in building a healthy nation is immense. The key to a long-lasting happy life is physical education and sports. Physical education is a part of general education. Education is not complete without physical education. Just as a person without limbs is not a complete person, our general education cannot be complete without physical education. Physical education does not only develop physically, it develops mentally, spiritually and character, making a student a responsible and complete citizen of the future. In order to build a healthy, beautiful and prosperous nation, in almost all countries of the world, a lot of money is invested in physical education and there is a huge demand, expansion and research for physical education, but the picture in our country is completely opposite. Here, physical education is extremely neglected. Here, when we talk about physical education, many people turn up their noses. Looking at their behavior, it seems that physical education is a matter of extreme crime. Although physical education was once associated with our mainstream education, for some unknown reason and due to the whims of some people, physical education was separated from mainstream education and the subject was excluded from public examinations. In China, if a child does not know how to swim, he is not admitted to primary school. The Germans say, we do not want hospitals, we want playgrounds, we want gyms. In this era of ignorance and blindness to physical education, even if animals and humans survive, they cannot survive as healthy people. Physical education teachers working in various colleges of the country have been facing a discriminatory and neglected reality for a long time, which has repeatedly questioned their professional honor, motivation and human dignity. Education is not limited to textbooks alone — a combination of physical, mental, moral and spiritual education is absolutely necessary for the complete development of a student. However, despite acknowledging the importance of this physical education, physical education at the college level is still deprived of fair recognition. This is a sad deviation not only for us, but also for the state assessment. Physical education is still not included in the syllabus of grades 11 and 12. However, at this age, physical fitness, sports, regular physical exercise and moral practice are very important in a student's life — which is possible only through disciplined and structured physical education.

Physical education is also the science and art of human movement. Sports are one of the areas of physical fitness, interpersonal interaction, civilization and culture. Many educational institutions do not have trained physical education teachers, do not have the necessary sports equipment or a suitable environment for playing. In most cases, this lesson is considered unimportant, as a result of which students are not interested in taking it. As a result of this neglect, physical ability is decreasing among students, mental stress is increasing, and human qualities like leadership, tolerance and team spirit are not being developed. The importance of physical education in building a healthy society is immense. In almost all countries including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Japan, America, the subject of physical education is included in the curriculum at the college level. The 2012 'Shape of the Nation Report' of the US National Association for Sports and Physical Education and the American Heart Association found that in about 75% of states, primary education is provided through high school, more than half of the states allow students to substitute other activities for the required physical education credits. According to the report, only six states (Illinois, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, and Vermont) have physical education programs at every grade level.

Historically, the field of physical education has focused on three learning domains: affective, cognitive, and psychomotor. However, more recently, physical education scholarship has recognized two additional domains of learning, social and cultural. Recently, physical education researchers in Australia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have restructured the learning domains to understand physical education as five learning entities: the moving body, the thinking body, the emotional body, the social body, and the cultural body. This restructuring was done by drawing on the academic literature on physical education and education more broadly. One study found that in almost all countries in the world, except Bangladesh, sport can contribute 2-3% of GDP directly and up to 10% indirectly. The impact of sport has been estimated at 2.25% of GDP in Scotland, 2.20% of GDP in the United Kingdom, 2.50% of GDP in the United States, and 1.5% of GDP in Canada and New Zealand. Yet in Bangladesh, this sector is not yet considered a means of development. This is where our perspective needs to change. Any structured and/or repetitive physical activity performed or practiced where the main objective is to achieve improved physical well-being. The potential of a sport-based approach to contribute greatly to development outcomes has been recognized across international policy declarations, most notably the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The contribution of sport-based policies to sustainable development, physical activity and physical education policies are key to the sustainable development of sport, physical education and physical activity policies and both formative and collective policies require efficient planning and design. Adequate investment in physical education, physical activity and sport is needed.

Many people neglect this lesson, considering it unimportant, and as a result, students lose interest. As a result, physical ability is decreasing among students, mental stress is increasing, and valuable qualities like leadership, tolerance, and team spirit are not being developed. Due to extreme neglect, students in our country are not able to fully develop physically and mentally. Educational institutions do not have the necessary equipment, trained teachers, or specific plans for physical education. As a result, enthusiasm for sports is decreasing among students, health problems are increasing, and leadership qualities and self-confidence are lacking. To change this situation, it is necessary to create awareness at the national level, make physical education mandatory in education policies, and allocate appropriate budgets. In addition, physical education must be established as an important and dignified subject by changing the perspective of society. Physical education does not mean just sports, it is a life-long education that prepares a person for the future in all aspects. Today, students are citizens of the future. And there is no alternative to physical education in educational institutions to develop that citizen as a good citizen. And physical education makes people physically, mentally, socially, and nationally self-reliant. If physical education can be saved from neglect, the country's overall health will improve, new jobs will be created, and economic prosperity will occur. Now is the time to give physical education the respect and importance it deserves. If you have skills and experience in physical education and sports, it is easier for foreign students to get scholarships in many European countries.

In countries like Germany, the policy of having fewer hospitals than playgrounds is adopted - so that people are healthier and need less treatment. But unfortunately, physical education has not yet been included in the mainstream of education in our country. There are no adequate playgrounds, suitable trainers or necessary equipment. As a result, students are getting used to a technology-dependent, inactive and unconscious life instead of being physically healthy and active. This education helps to keep teenagers away from crime and superstition. Therefore, the importance of physical education is immense for building a healthy, functional and morally rich nation.

Integrating physical education into the mainstream of education is the demand of the hour to build a healthy nation. This is not only personal development, but also one of the prerequisites for national development. Therefore, it is time to give physical education the importance and status it deserves - so that the future Bangladesh becomes healthier, stronger and more developed. Taking planned initiatives at the national level with emphasis on physical education. This education must be introduced in schools and colleges in a compulsory and standardized manner. Not only the government, but also the family and society must be aware of this. Physical education must be established in its proper status through teacher training, infrastructural development and increasing public awareness. In order to build healthy citizens, physical education, sports and health science subjects need to be made compulsory at all levels of education. In order to build a healthy, functional and morally developed nation, physical education should not be neglected, but should be given priority. In the completeness of education and in our national interest, there is no alternative to including physical education in the core curriculum and board syllabus and also in public examinations. Only then will we get a healthy, strong and aware generation, who will build a developed Bangladesh of the future. All physical education teachers working at the college level should be promoted to the ninth grade in a fair and honorable manner. Physical education should be included in the curriculum of grades 11 and 12 on a mandatory basis and the creation and appointment of necessary teacher posts should be ensured. We believe that with the strong intervention and visionary leadership of the Chief Advisor and the Education Advisor, the implementation of this reasonable demand will be possible and a positive example will be set in the education system of Bangladesh.

The writer is teacher, Haimchar Government College, Haimchar, Chandpur.