From the People's Daily app.

And this is Story in the Story.

Students' physical quality in China has dropped year by year while cases of obesity and myopia continue to increase, so new physical education curriculums under a reform scheme aim to make exercise more fun.

Elementary and secondary schools in Chengguan district of Lanzhou, Northwest China's Gansu Province, are currently undergoing reforms of their physical education programs initiated by the national school physical education leagues, which was established in December 2013 under the guidance of the Chinese Ministry of Education for education reform.

Under the physical education curriculum, students are allowed to select sports based on their physical condition and interests, and students in the same class are allowed to attend different sports.

At the same time, the reform scheme is designed to help students have more fun, improve their health, and cultivate a wholesome personality and strong will during physical exercise.

Today’s Story in the Story looks at different PE options being trialed at various schools around the country.

Students at a primary school in Lanzhou, Northwest China's Gansu Province, show off their volleyball skills on May 16 at a gathering demonstrating the results of the national physical education reform. (Photo: Li Lei/GT)

Professor Mao Zhenming, director of the school leagues, said that the leagues aim to replace dreary traditional physical education classes on campus with classes that feature new form and content, thereby improving the quality and effectiveness of physical education at school.

"Due to concerns over the declining physical condition of students, the school embarked on a reform of physical education," Zhao Yongzhong, headmaster of Gengjiazhuang Primary School of Chengguan district, said in his report at a seminar on physical education reform in May.

In 2014, the physical fitness test results of the students in the Primary School averaged 71.64. The number then dropped to 68.89 in 2015, and was as low as 65 in 2016, according to Zhao.

"The physical condition of students is deteriorating, while cases of obesity and being overweight are rising year by year, and their flexibility, lung capacity, speed, stamina and strength keep decreasing," said Zhao.

He believes that the declining physical quality of students comes from unhealthy living habits and ineffective traditional physical education.

"Influenced by traditional 'exam-oriented' education, schools tend to place little importance on physical education," said Zhao, adding that "students who excel in sports are rare in school nowadays."

(Photo:CGTN)

Another of the leagues' goals is to find sports suitable for each student based on their physical qualities and interests.

Mao said that he was asked by many parents why a student can still be weak in sports after attending physical education class at school for 12 years.

"The main problem is that most students only dip into physical education class," Mao explained.

The leagues has established 34 pilot zones in 31 provincial-level administrations, covering more than 3,000 schools.

In a gathering that showcased the results of the reform in Chengguan district, more than 20,000 students demonstrated various non-traditional activities, including roller skating, martial arts, Taiji, golf, and American football.

Jin Yan, principal of Shuicheyuan Primary School said that after joining the leagues, the school has undergone a thorough change in terms of physical education. The school now attaches equal importance to both academic knowledge and physical education.

Physical exercise also helps to enhance students' thinking ability. However, some parents fear that more time spent on physical exercise will result in a decline in grades.

Mao reassured them with the example of an American football team in Daxuelu Experimental School in Xuzhou of East China's Jiangsu Province.

A letter that Mao received reads, "After two months' training, 30 out of the 33 team members' scores had seen an obvious rise, two remained the same, and one suffered a slight decline.

“Playing American football didn't affect our study. Instead, it has been motivating us to make more efforts in our study."

Meng Xianyang, a physical education teacher at Nanhe Primary School, said that the performances shown in the demonstration come from their daily physical education classes.

"For example, in the daily class, we would introduce the dragon dance to students through games," said Meng.

"Teachers use a ball to play dragon ball and attract students to simulate the moves in a dragon dance, chasing the ball in various formations," Meng explained.

"National defense sports have also been introduced to primary schools, which help to enhance students' awareness of the importance of national defense," said Meng.

Mao said that for the next step, the leagues will utilize big data and the internet to come up with more physical exercise combinations to build on the existing 200 combinations for students based on their physical conditions, genders and ages.

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Brian Lowe, Lance Crayon, and Chelle Wenqian Zeng. Music by: bensound.com. Text from Global Times)