We’re looking at ways of ensuring they are improving their lifestyle over time.
- Graeme Lane
THE Liberal Party has announced it would inject $100,000 into a pilot program to be rolled out in Bendigo schools next year, if it wins the election on November 29.
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The Physical Literacy Program involves students doing 200 physical exercises throughout the year, at least one for every school day.
Each activity lasts between 10 and 20 minutes and is to be incorporated into any class, not just a sports lesson.
Education minister Martin Dixon said the program would increase physical fitness and academic performance.
Liberal candidate for Bendigo East Greg Bickley said the funding was a wise investment in the future of Bendigo students.
The body implementing the pilot program, School Governance Australia, has already trialled it in Canberra and seen positive results.
The organisation's chief executive Graeme Lane said the program involved students being given a brief, intensive physical activity every day.
"We’re looking at ways of ensuring they are improving their lifestyle over time," he said.
Mr Lane said data from participating Bendigo schools would be collected by the University of Canberra to analyse the effectiveness of the daily exercise sessions.
The academic research project is called Lifestyles of our Kids, or LOOK.
Mr Lane said his organisation had other sources of funding to run the Physical Literacy Program regardless of the Coalition's success at the election, but that government support would enable Bendigo schools to participate for free.
"Really what the $100,000 provides us with is (an employee) to do the training and work with teachers to bring them up to speed," he said.
"With the funding coming through, this won't cost the schools anything."
The trainer employed to run the program would train teachers in how to run exercise sessions and link schools to local sporting clubs.
"If (children) are not engaged with a local sporting club by age 12, the likelihood of them continuing with a sport is unlikely," Mr Lane said.
He said School Governance Australia successfully lobbied the Victorian government for the funding.
Mr Lane said Labor was aware of the program but had not yet promised funding.
Labor's member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan said School Governance Australia should approach the Shadow Sports Minister for funding under the $100 million Community Sports Fund announced earlier this month.
