Amman: Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Minister of Education Azmi Mahafzah attended the ceremony honoring winners of the 20th edition of the King Abdullah II Physical Fitness Award, organized by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with the Jordan School Sports Federation. The event celebrated students, schools, and education directorates from across the Kingdom that excelled in this year's competition.
According to Jordan News Agency, the ceremony began with the national anthem and a recitation from the Holy Quran. Attendees included Secretary-General for Educational Affairs Nawaf Al-Ajarmeh, Director of Education and Military Culture Saleh Al-Khalayleh, Director General of the Royal Health Awareness Society Amal Arifej, Chairman of the Society's Board Rami Farraj, along with education officials, parents, and representatives of educational institutions.
A documentary presentation highlighted the award's journey since its inception, emphasizing its role in promoting physical fitness, school health, and a culture of sports and physical activity among students. Director of Educational Activities Abdulhakim Al-Shawabkeh, speaking on behalf of the Ministry, noted that the royal initiative was launched in 2005 to enhance physical fitness and health while fostering sports participation among students.
Al-Shawabkeh stressed that the award has become a crucial platform for promoting healthy lifestyles in Jordanian schools, with this year's competition drawing 985,117 students from 3,179 public, private, and military culture schools across the Kingdom. He emphasized the Ministry's commitment to integrating sports and physical activity into students' daily routines, thereby positively impacting their academic and social development.
"Since His Majesty launched this ambitious national project, the award has represented far more than a sports competition," Al-Shawabkeh stated. "It is part of a comprehensive vision aimed at raising awareness of the importance of physical activity and healthy living among students." He added that the initiative has evolved into a comprehensive national program aimed at shaping students' character and instilling values such as discipline, perseverance, teamwork, and self-confidence, while also improving physical well-being.
The ceremony featured a variety of athletic and artistic performances from participating education directorates. Highlights included a sports formations display by the Jerash Directorate of Education, athletic and artistic performances by the Bani Obeid Directorate, a rhythmic movement show by the Amman Kasbah Directorate, and additional sports demonstrations by the University District Directorate. The event concluded with a large-scale group performance involving participants from multiple education directorates.
During the ceremony, the Ministry of Education announced the results of the 20th edition of the King Abdullah II Physical Fitness Award across various age categories and the outcomes of the first Healthy Championship for students, which saw broad participation from schools affiliated with education directorates and military culture schools throughout Jordan.