Impractical school uniforms were discouraging young people in Ireland from cycling while too much emphasis was also being placed on team sports in PE at the expense of individual and less-popular sports, a major new report has found.
One of the findings stated “strict and inflexible uniforms" were not conducive to encouraging school pupils to pursue more active lives, including walking and cycling. And PE in Irish schools was found to be overly focused on team sports, usually the main field sports.
The Youth Stakeholder Forum for Sport report also found the uncomfortable school uniforms, and inflexible policies by schools relating to uniforms, was having a bigger impact in discouraging girls from being more active.
“Promoting active travel to and from school, whether by cycling or walking, was not being helped in this context,” the report concluded. Students were also “frustrated" so limit time was given over to PE and the limited choice of PE activities.
Advertisement
Related News
“There was too much emphasis on team sports, more attention should be given to individual or less popular sports,” the report found.
The publication of the report on Monday came after consultations with almost 100 young people back in May. Athletes and sports organisations were also involved, as was Minister for State for Sport Jack Chambers TD. The report sought to explore participation levels in sport, and what may be getting in the way of young people being more active, with school uniforms emerging as a key issue.
It concluded a “physical activity-friendly” approach should be taken by schools in their policies relating to uniforms, many of which have not been updates for decades.
It was found that “strict, inflexible uniforms and school dress policies were cited as being an impediment" to "greater physical activity by young people”. And while girls were most impacted, uniforms and uniform polices also made it more difficult for boys "to lead an active life and be engaged in physical activity in school”.
