Guangdong Province is set to make swimming lessons compulsory (必修的) in primary schools starting from 2020, and suggesting the courses be given from the fourth grade. Do we need to make swimming compulsory in schools? Forum readers share their opinions.
White Bear (Poland)
In Poland swimming lessons are not compulsory, but most of the schools have them. I think that when it is only possible -- there should be the swimming lessons for kids. It is a lifesaving skill.
Mister Panda (France)
I come from France where swimming lessons in school are compulsory. I even got my lifesaving certificate (证书) in school.
Jet. feng (China)
As a boy born in a rural area, I learnt swimming in a river near my home when I was 7 or 8 years old. I just learnt how to dog paddle (breaststroke) because no one taught me. Until I entered university, I got a chance to improve my swimming skills in PE lessons. Compared with my classmates, I felt lucky because most of them couldn't swim. I think it’s a good idea for schools to teach students to swim.
Boilermaker21 (Unknown)
There are swimming lessons in my city, but I felt upset about how they were taught. The kids spent 45 minutes of the one hour lesson practicing strokes ON DRY LAND. They only spent 15 minutes in the water. All of the children panicked (惊恐) and sank immediately to the bottom. Then all of the parents scolded the children, telling them that they weren't paying attention to the teacher and that they were failures.
Cecilia Zhang (China)
It is a pity that many Chinese athletes won world championships in swimming while most schools don't have the swimming facilities. Swimming is an essential lifesaving skill that everyone should access to. The earlier, the better. The government needs to put money into the popularity of the sport.
【小题1】What do we know about Jet. feng?| A．He suggests children in China learning swimming in rivers. |
| B．He had a good command of swimming skills when he was a child. |
| C．He can swim as well as most of his classmates in university. |
| D．He considers it necessary for schools to give swimming lessons. |
| A．Amazing. | B．Disappointing. | C．Impressive. | D．Effective. |
| A．Swimming is a lifesaving skill. |
| B．How students in different countries learn swimming? |
| C．Should swimming lessons be compulsory in schools? |
| D．Countries show different attitudes towards swimming lessons. |
