Consultative Planning Workshop on Wellness, Fitness, and Sports

Rationale
Deped Order 24, s. 2022 titled “The 2030 Basic Education Development Plan”
with attention to its Pillar 4 on learners’ resiliency and well-being is primarily focused
on the promotion of learners’ physical and emotional skills development. Anent to this,
the current education milieu particularly as the field is gradually recovering from the
effects of the pandemic is still consistently geared on outputs towards the development
of a school sports fitness program framework, development and implementation of
standards for school and competition programs, and training of DepEd teaching and
non-teaching personnel on after-school sports programs.
Even before the pandemic, the focus on wellness, fitness, and sports is undoubtedly
an important aspect of an individual’s well-being. Wellness is about learning or
defining oneself by making choices and taking care of one's body and mind (Travis,
2014). It is also about choosing the right and healthy decisions (Thompson & Porto,
2014). The connections of mind, body, and soul could improve health conditions. It
will lead to build a foundation of core values and define what is important in our lives
most importantly on the teaching-learning process.
Connectedly, the primary objective of a wellness, fitness, and sports program for the
both teachers and learners is to make them fit or healthy in all aspects (Kipps-
Vaughn, Ponsart & Gilligan, 2012). This means the teachers and learners who are part
of the program would follow the procedure to make them healthier. Since both are
under the supervision of the Schools Division Office through the Division Sports
Coordinators (DSOs) and school leaders or school principals, the respective levels of
governance that includes both the Central Office and the Regional Office shall ensure
for initiation of the wellness, fitness, and sports programs even in a time when the
field is still awaiting for the easing of restrictions for the conduct of sports competition
as stipulated in DepEd Order 34, s, 2022. Hence, the need for the design,
implementation, and management of these programs in the schools especially as the
schools go back to onsite learning.
With the help of a wellness, fitness, and sports program, DepEd teaching and non-
teaching personnel, and learners can do their best in their field of work, teaching, and
learning. Further, the program could help these personnel to be holistically fit and
healthy. As a whole, having a health promotion means people are seeking ways to
improve the quality of life as we open reopen our schools to the new normal of which a
more relevant focus is vital for the promotion and definition of wellness as a way of
life.
To make this happen, the Department of Education – National Capital Region through
the Education Support Services Division (ESSD) and the sixteen DSOs in the region
respond to this call through a 4-Day Consultative Planning Workshop on Wellness,
Fitness, and Sports on December 12-15, 2022 which aims to: capacitate the DSOs
on the organization of school sports club, provide technical assistance on the
organization of school sports club, review the status of the Division/Regional sports
performance in previous Palarong Pambansa, formulate the NCRAA constitution and
by-laws, and create an implementation plan of school sports program. Through this
endeavor, it is deemed that pillar 4 on learners’ resiliency and well-being in the
context of the National Capital Region is given direction and action.