Panellists discuss measures to promote sports participation among secondary school girls in Việt Nam at a seminar on June 18 in Hà Nội. — Photos courtesy of the organiser

HÀ NỘI — Experts discussed measures to promote sports participation among secondary school girls during a seminar on Thursday in Hà Nội.

The event, entitled 'Current situation and solutions to enhance sports participation among Secondary School Girls in Việt Nam', was jointly organised by the Việt Nam National Institute of Educational Sciences (VNIES), Danson Solutions, with the support of Nike Vietnam.

At the event, experts said that the ages between 11 and 15 are considered a critical stage for girls, as significant physical and psychological changes, academic pressure, gender stereotypes, and lack of confidence may lead many girls away from physical activities and sports.

In response to this reality, VNIES and Danson Solutions have implemented activities under the research project 'Developing Physical Education and School Sports in Việt Nam' to gain a deeper understanding of the current situation of sports participation among secondary school girls and propose solutions that provide them with more opportunities to be active in a safe, positive and age-appropriate environment.

To establish a theoretical foundation for the project, VNIES conducted an online survey on 524,674 respondents across 34 provinces and cities. The findings show that although Việt Nam has established policy foundations for Physical Education, school sports, children’s rights, and gender equality, the mechanisms and resources to promote sports participation among female students, in particular, remain limited.

The survey found that the proportion of female students participating in physical activities, exercise, or sports outside PE lessons reached 52.36 per cent, which was 17.55 per cent lower than that of male students, and only 20.8 per cent of female students achieved at least one hour of physical activity per day.

Female students participate in a “Girls Sports Day”.

Female students are not a group that 'dislikes sports', however, their level of strong engagement and passion remains limited. They mainly participate in sports for health benefits, fitness, stress relief, and skill development.

Key barriers include limited choices of suitable sports, less engaging PE lessons, lack of confidence, fear of being judged, concerns about injuries, menstruation-related challenges and hesitation when participating in sports with male peers.

These findings highlight the need to create a safe and inclusive sports environment that respects girls’ choices, reduces performance pressure, and supports female students in building long-term active habits.

Alongside the research, the project organised the training course Coach Girls Training on March 12–13 in Hà Nội for experts and core Physical Education teachers.

Following the training, the 'Girls Sports Day' series, based on a friendly sports day model, was implemented at six secondary schools in Ninh Bình, Huế, and Cần Thơ cities.

Field data recorded the participation of 1,279 out of 1,593 female students, reaching an average participation rate of 80.5 per cent, and more than 5,000 students were engaged through movement activities, team games, discussion sessions, and interviews.

Initial results showed that when activities were designed to be fun, diverse, low-pressure, and supported by appropriate encouragement mechanisms, female students were able to participate more actively, pointing toward more inclusive and sustainable models of school sports for girls.

Lê Anh Vinh, Director General of the Việt Nam National Institute of Educational Sciences, highlighted the important role of physical activity and sports in children’s holistic development, especially during secondary school years, a period when students experience significant physical, psychological, and social changes.

Vinh said: “For female students, maintaining active habits not only contributes to physical health but also supports mental well-being, confidence, collaboration skills, and a sense of belonging in the school environment.

"This research helps identify barriers that limit girls’ participation in sports while providing practical evidence for schools, families, and relevant stakeholders to design more suitable solutions.”

Through collaboration, VNIES hopes to continue translating research findings into models, recommendations, and interventions, contributing to expanded opportunities for Vietnamese girls to improve their mental and physical well-being and overall development, added Vinh. — VNS