Trim and Fit Mindef Physical Fitness Performance Awards 2005

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6 January 2006

TRIM AND FIT AND MINDEF PHYSICAL FITNESS PERFORMANCE AWARDS 2005

Trim and Fit Awards

1. The Ministry of Education presents the Trim and Fit (TAF) Awards annually to schools in recognition of their efforts in improving physical fitness and reducing obesity levels in their schools. This year, TAF Awards are awarded to 306 schools in recognition of their efforts and achievements in the TAF Programme for 2005. 163 schools will receive the Gold Awards while 143 will receive the Silver Awards (see Annex 1). Compared to 2004, 11 more schools are receiving the Gold Awards, as shown in Annex 2.

2. Each year, schools are banded according to their fitness index, results in the National Physical Fitness Award (NAPFA) test and percentage of overweight students. The TAF banding criteria are given in Annex 3. Schools in Band A will receive the Gold Award while schools in Band B will receive the Silver Award.

MINDEF Physical Fitness Performance Award

3. The Ministry of Defence will be presenting the MINDEF Physical Fitness Performance Award (MPFPA) to 12 Junior Colleges (JCs) and 1 Centralised Institute (CI) this year. The award is given out to JCs and CI whose final-year students have achieved the qualifying Gold/Silver pass rate in the National Physical Fitness Award (NAPFA). The aim is to recognise their efforts in promoting physical fitness.

4. MPFPA recipients will each receive a monetary award based on the number of final-year students who achieve a Gold/Silver standard for NAPFA. In addition, JCs/CI that achieve the Best Performer Award and Most Improved Award will be given an additional monetary incentive of $3,000 and $1,500 respectively. Besides the monetary award, MPFPA recipients will each receive a trophy.

5. This year, Millennia Institute will receive the Best Performer Award and Anderson JC will receive the Most Improved Award. The Merit Award will be presented to Anderson JC, Anglo-Chinese JC, Catholic JC, Hwa Chong Institution, Jurong JC, Meridian JC, Nanyang JC, National JC, Raffles JC, St. Andrew’s JC, Temasek JC and Victoria JC.

Revised NAPFA Norms

6. The National Physical Fitness Award (NAPFA) test was introduced in Singapore schools in 1982 at the secondary and pre-university levels and in 1992 at the primary level. Since 1992, the percentage of students passing the NAPFA test has been used as an indicator of the fitness level of our student population. The design of the test items in the NAPFA test has evolved and the norms have been updated regularly.

7. In 2002, MOE collaborated with the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) to revise and update the set of NAPFA norms for both boys and girls. In particular, NAPFA norms in certain test items were revised to address the comparability between the performance of male and female students at the secondary level. The test items affected are the pull-up for boys, inclined pull-up for girls and the 2.4km run/walk for both. A summary of these changes and the revised NAPFA norms can be found in Annex 4a and Annex 4b respectively. The revised NAPFA norms will be implemented in all schools in 2006.