Students in the local area are being encouraged to cycle or walk to school as part of a great initiative to get active.
Minister for Education James Merlino today visited Billanook Primary School on National Ride2School Day to urge all students to find an active way to get to school.
With physical inactivity levels on the rise, National Ride2School Day provides a reminder to school communities to ditch the car and embrace a healthier start to the day.
In the 1970’s, eighty per cent of students rode or walked to school, but that figure has dropped to just twenty per cent today. Reversing this trend will go a long way to helping students get the recommended amount of daily exercise they need to stay on top of their game.
National Ride2School Day is also a reminder for drivers to slow down and take extra care around schools.
Drivers should slow down in school zones like the one around Billanook Primary, even if children don’t appear to be present at the time.
By making sure the roads around our schools are safe, we can better encourage students to opt out of a car ride to school and get some fresh air instead.
The Andrews Labor Government has set ambitious targets to improve the health of Victorian students. This includes achieving a 20 per cent increase in the number of students taking part in physical activity five times a week by 2025.
It’s all part of the Labor Government’s drive to meet the Education State target of increasing the proportion of students taking part in physical activity five times a week.
By encouraging students to ride or walk to school we can increase the proportion of kids staying active and make students happier, healthier and more resilient.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino
“Happy, healthy students are better students – and walking or riding to school is a great way for children to keep active.”
“This initiative is also a good chance for parents to talk to their children about safely crossing the road and encouraging the basics of road safety.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020