Feb 28, Colombo: In a measure to build a healthy nation and to produce international-caliber athletes, Sri Lanka has decided to make sports a compulsory activity in schools and universities.

Participation of school students in sports activities is low in Sri Lanka due to the competitive national exam structure. According to the government only five percent of the students following primary education in the country are engaged in sports activities due to the heavy focus on studies.

Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Higher Education and S.B. Dissanayake and Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage jointly have proposed to implement physical education and sports programmes within the school system and universities, so that students with special skills and abilities in sports activities could be identified and assistance provided to achieve national and international levels in the field of sports.

Under the proposal least one sport will be compulsory for all students from 2013 and sports will be a core subject for GCE Ordinary Level (O/L).

The cabinet has approved the joint proposal made by the three ministers.