Physical education tests for children may return

Instead of scores or numeric grades, the test would evaluate children with the colors green, yellow or red. The primary goal would be to motivate schoolchildren and their teachers, to evaluate the results and to keep track of children’s physical health.

“Physical education classes, as we hear ever more often, are becoming boring, few children want to hold volunteer tests, and teachers aren’t motivating them. In 2008, the Ministry of Health removed the evaluation standards from physical health classes, and teachers could choose whether they’d test them or not. There are no more metres, seconds, standards or general guidelines for what a child should be capable of, and it’s hard to measure. Teachers often don’t know how to work according to these programs, and we hear that children would also like to have something measurable, because they like to compete and to see what they’re capable of,” – said Inga Parulskienė, an adviser at the Ministry’s Department of Physical Education and Sports.

Physical education tests are currently voluntary. Currently, each test is completed by about 1,000 children between 14 and 18, who hold it with the hopes of better scores when trying to enter an athletic studies program.

The physical test project is currently being deliberated upon at the Ministry of Health.