DOHA: The Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education yesterday signed an agreement to open sports facilities at Independent schools to women in the neighbourhood, after school hours.
The agreement aims to promote physical activity among women and thus contribute to national efforts to fight lifestyle diseases, especially obesity, which is rising alarmingly in the country.
It also comes as part of implementing the principle that physical exercise is the right of everyone in the society. Sports facilities in at least some schools would be made available to women from all age groups during the forthcoming summer.
The agreement was signed during a media briefing at Omar bin Khatab Secondary Independent School attended by Abdul Rahman Al Dosari, head of the Sports Affairs Department at the Ministry of Culture and Sports and Omar Al Shahwani, head of joint services at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Addressing the media, Al Dosari said that the agreement is the result of cooperation between the two ministries to lay down a strategy for utilisation of sports facilities at Independent schools to promote community sports and provide a suitable environment to women for physical exercise.
It also seeks to develop a plan to involve sports teachers at schools to help women exercise and raise awareness among them in this regard. He added that providing sports facilities for women is one of the biggest challenges facing the ministry. The ministry has conducted several studies in collaboration with Qatar University on ways of promoting physical exercise among women. “Sports facilities at Independent schools are the best place for women and families to exercise in a secure place, since they are close to their homes,” said Al Dosari.
He said the ministry will prepare school sports facilities for this purpose and provide trainers to educate the participants how to use the facilities in the best manner.
The two ministries will work together to frame the rules and regulations for use of the sports facilities in the coming days to develop an ideal strategy. This will be completed in two months and the facilities will be available for use during the forthcoming summer, said Al Dosari.
The success of the initiative depends on how many women can be enrolled in sports activities. In the initial phase, the plan will be implemented in few schools to assess the response. Later it will be expanded to all Independent schools.
Several incentives will be provided to attract women for exercise including specialists and a program to measure the impact of physical exercise on their mental and physical health.
Al Shahwani said school sports facilities will be open to women in the neighbourhood during evenings, without clashing with the regular school hours. He said the agreement is part of an initiative to develop community sports centres women, girls and the youth.
The Peninsula
