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14 October, 2002
Wiggles' colourful splash to Minister's swim scheme launch Popular international children's entertainers, The Wiggles, added a splash of colour when the Minister for Education and Training, John Watkins, launched the 2002 School Swimming Scheme. More than 100,000 students from 1400 NSW public primary schools across the State will benefit from the intensive learn-to-swim scheme over the 2002/2003 season. Mr Watkins said that since 1954, the School Swimming Scheme has helped more than three million NSW children learn to swim. "Generations of NSW people still practise the water safety skills and techniques they learned at 'intensive swimming'," Mr Watkins said. "The scheme continues to make an important and lasting contribution to the people of this State by teaching children how to survive in the water. "The thousands of teachers and instructors who have taken part in this great initiative over the years deserve our gratitude and congratulations." Also taking part in the launch at the Bexley Swimming Centre, in south-western Sydney, were Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimmers, Jim Piper and Amanda Pascoe. They shared their memories of participating in the scheme with young students from Athelstane Public School, who were embarking on their first lessons in the intensive ten-day program. Run by the NSW Department of Education and Training's School Sport Foundation, the School Swimming Scheme aims to develop water confidence and give students basic skills in water safety and survival. The School Swimming Scheme targets non-swimmers in Years 2 and 3, but also caters for non-swimmers in Years 4 to 6 with special needs, such as newly-arrived migrant students and students with disabilities. |
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