Paris 2024: UNESCO calls on countries to invest far more in physical education

Two-thirds of secondary school pupils and more than half of primary school pupils worldwide do not get taught the minimum weekly amount of physical education, according to the first-ever Global Status Report on Quality Physical Education published on Wednesday by UNESCO. In addition, two-thirds of pupils with disabilities are deprived of any physical education.

Physical education is a worthwhile investment: it not only improves pupils’ health, but also their academic performance and personal development. Yet it is still often treated as a lesser subject. UNESCO is calling on its 194 Member States to make it a priority subject and to allocate the necessary time, human resources and budget to it’, said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.

On the eve of the opening of the Paris 2024 Games, the Director-General of UNESCO invited sports ministers to the Organization’s Paris headquarters to make physical education an educational priority. The results of this meeting, which was also attended by athletes and educators, will feed into the Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held tomorrow, Thursday 25 July.

UNESCO sets five priorities for its 194 Member States:

1. Improve the training of sports teachers and educators.

2. Increase investment in infrastructure.

3. Develop physical education programmes that are resolutely inclusive, particularly for girls and young people with disabilities.

4. Increase the number of hours of physical education in school curricula.

5. Place the values of sport at the heart of educational programmes.

The UNESCO report provides 10 indicators – giving a good, moderate or poor score – to help local and national authorities assess the quality of physical education in their country, and to identify priority areas for improvement.

Major disparities worldwide

UNESCO recommends at least 2 hours of physical education per week at primary level and at least 3 hours at secondary level, for both boys and girls: targets that are far from being met by most countries, according to the report.

The report reveals that only 58% of countries have made physical education compulsory for girls, and that only 7% of schools worldwide have established equal physical education time for boys and girls.

It also highlights the fact that less than one in two primary school teachers has received specialist training in physical education. Finally, it points to major differences in funding for physical education between countries: two-thirds devote less than 2% of their education budget to it, while one country in ten allocates more than 7%.

A profitable investment

UNESCO points out that physical education offers many advantages. According to a series of studies supported by the United Nations, physical education can reduce student obesity rates by 30%, improve exam results for 40% of students and help prevent depression and anxiety, particularly among young women. Physical education can also increase school attendance by up to 20% and improve behaviour at school by 60%.

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, will present the results of this report and UNESCO’s recommendations to the Heads of State and Government at the Sport for Sustainable Development Summit organised by France and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD) on Thursday 25 July at the Carrousel du Louvre.

She will also be announcing a new UNESCO initiative aimed at sports educators to step up the fight against discrimination.