By Ahmed Kafafi, Community Times At the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, Egyptian swimmers Ahmed Akram and Farida Osman broke 11 national records; a few months later, at the Los Angeles’ Special Olympics World Games in July, Egypt took home 50 medals. Yet sports education at Egyptian public schools is at best limited – at worst non-existent – and pros have to look to private sporting clubs for the kind of training that they need to be internationally competitive. Ahmed Kafafi looks at the reasons behind the deterioration of sports’ education at Egypt’s schools. Ali Hilal is the son of a factory worker who goes to a public school in Giza. Although Ali’s performance in most of his classes is satisfactory, Hilal is disturbed by Ali’s fondness for sports. Ali, who achieved distinction in handball at school, trains at a small club in their neighborhood in Giza. His father thinks that Ali’s free time would be better spent reviewing his lessons, and that Ali’s handball training will negatively affect his schoolwork since he spends a lot of time at the club. In reality, Ali has found a balance between study…
Egypt’s Physical Education: A Pathetic Situation, Uncertain Future
September 20, 2015
