General: NOC conducts Olympic Education Programme

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka embarked on an important Olympic Education Programme of imparting knowledge on ‘Olympism’ and managing and administering sport and physical education to physical education teachers at a workshop held at the Uva National College of Education, Bandarawela. 

The course was the brainchild of NOC President Hemasiri Fernando. 

Over 240 teachers participated in batches during the last segment of the programme. 

The whole course was delivered by Prof. B.L.H. Perera (Course Director) and assisted by Nishanthe Piyasena during the two days. 

The concept of the programme was highly appreciated by the participants. 

The main objective was to provide programmes that enable participants to build their capacities and prepare outstanding participants for representation at the next level up with a good background of the spirit of Olympism, that includes fair play, team spirit, co-operation and above all, respect for other. 

The teachers trained at the Uva National College are employed in government schools in the country and have already taken initial steps in imparting their knowledge on Olympism and its values to students across the country and to use their knowledge to enhance the management of Grass Roots Sports Development (GRSD) within the country. 

The task of the Physical Education Teacher is to develop their sport at both ends of the spectrum, at the grassroots level and at the high performance level. 

A PE Teacher at school level must ensure there is sufficient recruitment of participants, provide programmes that enable participants to flourish, and prepare outstanding participants for representation at the next level up. 

The schools and institutions at the national level will be concerned with encouragement towards participation nationally in sports and in the provision of the pathways that may assist those participants that have talent and ambition to develop and also ensure that the opportunities are provided to high achieving participants to aspire and compete at the international levels in the times to come. 

The contents delivered covered the Olympic Background and Future of the Olympic Movement, Olympic Values, Managing Environment, Management of Resources, Management of Programmes and Activities and also Sports Science, which are very much relevant to the tasks that the PE teachers have to perform during their carrier.