Thiruvananthapuram: AquaFit, a free swimming-training programme for school students, will train 14,000 children across Kerala in its first phase, said general education minister N Samsudheen on Wednesday.The minister was inaugurating the programme’s state-level launch at the Jimmy George Aquatic Complex in the city. AquaFit is being implemented as part of the general education department’s 100-day action plan.Samsudheen said in a state with numerous rivers and other water bodies, swimming was not merely a sporting ability but also a life-saving skill. It is also an excellent form of exercise that can help prevent lifestyle diseases and improve overall physical health, he added.Under the initiative, 1,000 students from each of the state’s 14 districts will be trained. Selected students will receive training at suitable swimming pools located within a 5-km radius of their schools. The cooperation of local self-govt institutions and departments concerned will be ensured for the initiative, he said.Besides helping prevent accidents, AquaFit could identify and nurture talented swimmers. Water-safety awareness in society will also be strengthened as those who learn swimming could later train others, he said.
