LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to organize mega sports events in schools across the province from October to December, as part of an initiative to promote sports and identify young talent.
A meeting of the Punjab School Education Department was held under the chairmanship of Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, where approval was given for the organization of sports events in schools during the three-month period.
Officials briefed the education minister on the province’s Sports Action Plan, stating that sports committees have been established in all 35,000 schools across Punjab. Sports equipment has also been provided to 450 schools as part of efforts to improve sporting facilities for students.
According to the plan, competitions among public schools will be organized at tehsil, district, divisional and provincial levels. The government has proposed cash prizes of Rs500,000, Rs300,000 and Rs100,000 for top-performing participants and teams.
Rana Sikandar Hayat directed officials to ensure that separate prize money is allocated for male and female students participating in the sporting competitions. The initiative is aimed at encouraging greater participation among students and providing equal opportunities to both boys and girls.
The education minister said students who demonstrate exceptional sporting talent would be given opportunities to compete at the international level. He assured that talented young athletes would receive government support to help them develop their skills and pursue competitive sports.
The Punjab government hopes that the school sports program will help create a stronger sporting culture among students while providing a platform for young athletes to showcase their abilities. The competitions are also expected to encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities alongside their academic studies.
The mega sports events, scheduled from October through December, will involve schools across Punjab and will progress through different levels of competition.
