I read somewhere that Thai schools for youngsters - lowered the requirement for Physical Education to two hours per school week. Of course school kids need a variety of influences while growing up. But sitting in class for nearly all hours is hampering to physical (and mental) health. Every time I go to town, I look around and see Thai youngsters, nearly all of whom look blanched and physically weak - often accompanied by dull, semi glazed looks in their eyes. This is particularly so for mall workers and kids working at 7-11 shops. A number of factors come in to play: Thai youths' fixation with whitening cream, all Thais ingesting MSG, 100% florescent lamps and no natural light in those shops (and elsewhere), poor air quality, coupled with over-emphasis on academic learning (rote and otherwise).

Youngsters should be out running, jumping, frollicking, and generally enjoying the outdoors - at least as many hours as they spend glued to a plastic seat facing a teacher they're pretending to be listening to.

Maidu, you must be around a more motivated group of students that I am. I've not run into very many who pretend to be listening!

As far as PE is concerned, the schools where I have supervisory responsibilities only provide them with 1 hour per week of PE.

The same is true in some other countries as well. In the US, I know a lot of districts that have P.E. 1 period (~40-45 min) per week. It seems that schools there are cutting back on or even eliminating all specialist classes, not just P.E.

Don't forget that most schools here have scouts so then they tend to be marching / wandering around the school with their pronged sticks.

Lots of fresh air then.

What do students do for that paltry one hour per week of Phys. Ed.?

If kids were meant to sit still in hard chairs for hours on end, then they'd have big cushy butts, and staring lifeless eyes. Come to think of it, that's what many students are resembling. Shame on Thai, or any school system administrators who deprive youngsters of their right to romp outdoors. It deprives kids of a basic part of growing up. To me, outdoor physical activity is more important for healthy growth than classroom teaching. A large part of the problem is the social fixation for getting kids to graduate , and thereby (according to theory) get better paying jobs and added security for their families. A recent poll in HK showed that parents, by a wide majority, preferred their kids have academic achievement over good health. The big irony is, in the real world; graduating from a school doesn't equate with smarts nor getting a decent job.