Education department circular says daily time-table of students of all classes to compulsorily include at least one games period.
Chandigarh: In an effort to revive the state’s traditional games, the Punjab government Wednesday asked all government schools to introduce these games as part of the daily activity of the students.
The time-table of the students of all classes will compulsorily include at least one games period every day and each student will have to participate in at least one game, the education department said in a circular issued to district education officers.
The games include stapu (hopscotch), ooch-neech (tag game), rumaal chukna, chidi udd kaa udd, sapp sidi (snakes and ladders), rassi tapna (skipping rope), chammach daud (spoon race), carom, kho kho, baandar killa, khunja napna, laato (spin throw), among others.
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Games revival
Many of these games were popular earlier among children in Punjab’s rural and urban streets, but have vanished over the last few years.
Devender Singh Boha, state coordinator, ‘Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’, a campaign to promote quality education and sports facilities in government schools, said, “Traditional games are being revived for two reasons. First, these games are going extinct and there is a need to preserve these as they are an important part of Punjab’s traditional culture.”
“Secondly, these games are non-competitive and entertaining and help children of primary classes to develop their stamina, bone strength, speed and skill,” added Boha.
Some of these games do not even have an English name or version.
“Rumaal chukna is a game in which a player each of two teams tries to pick a handkerchief from the ground. The team which scores maximum wins,” explained Boha.
Bandar killa is an outdoor game where a player is asked to stand near a tree or pole and defend shoes or objects of the other team gathered under it. The other team is supposed to pick up their objects from all sides.
“Chidi udd kaan udd has recently been made famous by a popular song. It is a skill-based alertness indoor game. You name object which can fly and lift your finger if they do. You are out if you lift your finger on an object that cannot fly,” Boha said.
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Sports policy
Apart from these heritage games, the schools have been directed to continue with other competitive sports which students of senior classes from Class VI onwards would participate in, including kabaddi, hockey, football, swimming, athletics, boxing, lawn tennis, badminton etc.
In June, the state came up with a School Sports Policy making it mandatory for all students to opt for at least one sports activity. The policy said students will be evaluated thrice a year to assess the gradual improvement in the concerned sport. A calendar of the games and sport activities was handed over to the schools to be followed.
The calendar listed activities which have to be carried out every month of the school’s working months. In September, the schools have been asked to organise sports tournaments. Earlier in July, the education department organised a marathon in all schools in the state. “The idea was to shift the focus from studies for a brief while to rejuvenate the mind,” added Boha.
On National Sports Day Wednesday, school students across the state played many of these traditional games.