Should swimming lessons be included in B.C.’s school curriculum?

Should swimming lessons beryllium mandatory for kids successful B.C.?

Questions astir h2o information are backmost successful nan spotlight pursuing a brace of caller drownings, 1 astatine Lynn Canyon successful North Vancouver and another successful Kelowna.

“We are blessed to beryllium astir a batch of beautiful unfastened h2o successful B.C. — our rivers, lakes and oceans are inviting for each group — truthful school group really to aquatics astatine a young property is going to springiness them those skills to beryllium safe astir our beautiful waterways,” said Kimiko Hirakida, head of programs and services for nan BC and Yukon Life-Saving Society.

“Even 1 drowning a twelvemonth is excessively many. We would emotion to spot our drowning numbers astatine zero.”

According to nan BC Coroners Service, location were 101 accidental drownings successful nan state successful 2023, pinch numbers peaking during nan summertime months. July was nan deadliest period past year, pinch 18 lives lost.

Most deaths occurred adjacent rivers, creeks, lakes and ponds, and almost 1 successful 5 deaths progressive personification who was boating.

Hirakida’s statement has agelong supported including mandatory swimming lessons successful nan province’s schoolhouse curriculum.

“Grade 3 is simply a awesome property to get that,” she said.

“Not only are our aquatics lessons school you really to swim, they are school rescue skills arsenic good arsenic water-smart behaviours connected really to support you and different group safe.”

The thought is not new. A number of B.C. schoolhouse districts erstwhile offered swimming lessons. Some still incorporated swimming into nan schoolhouse system, for illustration successful bluish B.C. wherever precocious schoolhouse students tin gain credits by completing lifeguard training.

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On Vancouver Island, students successful Sooke person received free swimming lessons done a business pinch nan Lions Club for 2 decades.

“We deliberation it is very important successful a seaside organization that nan kids cognize really to beryllium safe successful nan water,” Sooke Lions Club president Danny Willis told Global News.

The programme sees nan Lions Club return connected nan logistics and expenses, astir $13,000 per year, of transporting each of nan community’s Grade 2 students to a section excavation for lessons.

“When we talk to nan teachers, they show america it builds assurance successful nan kids … truthful it’s astir much than conscionable swimming,” Willis said.

In nan Lower Mainland, nan Lifesaving Society said implementing nan conception would require a business betwixt section schoolhouse districts and municipal governments.

The specifications of scheduling, staffing and proscription would nary uncertainty beryllium analyzable and require awesome planning.

But Willis said it tin beryllium done.

“If we tin do it, why can’t nan others?” he said.

“It costs a batch of money, and it takes a batch of planning, but if it saves 1 life, it’s worthy it.”