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Remit Of Health Education: There is a limited amount of direct influence that schools can have over children's out-of-school physical activity. The amount of time their pupils spend watching television, playing computer games or other sedentary undertakings is somewhat beyond their jurisdiction. Nevertheless, discussions on such matters are clearly within the remit of Health Education or Personal and Social Education programmes, and, of course, raising awareness of opportunities for extension of skills and interests within the community is generally regarded as an appropriate and valuable school service (DNH 1995).
World War II brought a renewed focus on the role of the school in promoting good health. The traditional equating of health with physical fitness, and health education with physical education, was further perpetuated during this period. During the 1960's this concept was replaced by the identification of health education as a discipline separate from physical education. The School Health Education Study, initiated with private funds in 1961, had the most significant impact in establishing health education as a separate discipline.
About 70 colleges and universities offer programs to train health education teachers, and the profession is growing. Members of the profession feel strongly that health education should not be considered a part of physical education and that physical education should not be a branch of health education. Some high schools now give a half year to physical education and a half year to health instruction. |
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