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Many children with disabilities and Special Educational Needs (SEN) fail to meet recommended physical activity levels. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Department of Sports Science and Physical Education recently hosted the “Jockey Club Move Without Borders Project” (the project) Symposium and ‘Get Physically Active!’ award ceremony, bringing together over 320 principals, teachers, students, parents from special and mainstream schools, and NGO representatives. With funding from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the project has benefited more than 7,000 children with disabilities and special educational needs (SEN) through adaptive sports since its inception in 2024, significantly improving their physical and mental well-being.

The World Health Organization recommends that children engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. However, many children with disabilities and SEN often fall short of this target due to environmental and resource constraints, resulting in a widening health gap. CUHK hosted a symposium and ‘Get Physically Active!’ award ceremony, during which 73 students were appointed as Inclusion Sports Ambassadors by Ms Vickie Li Wai-bing, Principal Assistant Secretary (Special Education), and Ms Annie Wong Hing-yee, Chief Curriculum Development Officer (Physical Education), of the Education Bureau of the HKSAR, to promote the concept of social harmony and inclusion through adaptive sports.

The project has involved 35 special schools and 27 mainstream primary and secondary schools, covering students with visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical disabilities, and intellectual disabilities, as well as students with SEN in mainstream schools. In collaboration with five NGO partners: the Hong Kong, China Sports Association for Persons with Intellectual Disability; the Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth, Kick It Heart Limited, LOVE 21 Foundation; and Splash Foundation.

In his welcome address, Professor Irwin King Kuo-chin, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Education) of CUHK, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Education Bureau, participating schools and NGOs, as well as all teachers, students, and parents, for their active participation and support of the project,  which has provided high-quality physical education and sports support for students with different disabilities and SEN. A total of 62 schools have joined the project since its inception – which, he said, represents not only a numerical breakthrough, but also a symbol of the shared responsibility undertaken by the education sector, parents, and society. The efforts of every student and the dedication of every teacher, he added, are the driving force behind the project’s progress.

Ms Vickie Li Wai-bing, Principal Assistant Secretary (Special Education), of the Education Bureau (EDB) of the HKSAR, stated in her speech that EDB has been providing additional resources and professional support to special schools to provide students with proper education services.  She recognised the importance of sports and conveyed her support for the project’s vision. Through close collaboration among schools, families, and NGOs, she commented, the Jockey Club Move Without Borders Project promotes the MVPA60 initiative advocated by the World Health Organization and EDB, which recommends accumulating an average of at least 60 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity across the week. The project, she concluded, not only improves the physical and mental health and the quality of life of students but also fosters interaction between special schools and mainstream schools, promoting social inclusion and building a vibrant and harmonious society.

Professor Cindy Sit Hui-ping, Project-in-charge and President of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity and the Society for Adapted Physical Activity of Hong Kong China, and a faculty member at the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, Faculty of Education at CUHK, emphasised the principle of health equity, saying: “The vitality of a city depends on whether its citizens enjoy equal opportunities for health. Regardless of ability, age, or gender, everyone should be able to easily participate in sports, enjoy the fun of exercise, and promote physical and mental well-being. Research shows that more than 80% of people with disabilities fail to meet the World Health Organization’s physical activity recommendations, reflecting inequitable access to sports opportunities and a widening health gap. In advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, adapted physical activity has become an important means of promoting health equity.” She also expressed gratitude to all participating schools, the Education Bureau, and the Jockey Club for their strong support of the project, which actively demonstrates the power of health and social inclusion through adapted sports.

The symposium featured two professional sharing sessions. Ms Lee Ching-man, Principal of the Hong Kong Red Cross John F. Kennedy Centre and Chairperson of the Hong Kong Special Schools Council, talked about how the project enhances the physical activity levels and quality of life of children with disabilities. Principal Shum Lap-ping, Head of Extracurricular Activities, Mr So Ka-de, and student representative Lai Man-bok and his parent Liu Lai-hing from Fortress Hill Methodist Secondary School described  how the project has optimised school-based PE curriculum planning and, through parental involvement, supported students’ physical and mental development and social skills.

To encourage sustained participation in physical activity, the project has so far organised more than 10 face-to-face and online seminars and workshops, and collaborated with organisations including UNESCO to promote home-based exercise. The project also produced the “Physical Fitness Ambassador Training Series” demonstration videos and distributed sports equipment kits to participating families to encourage parent-child exercise at home.  In addition, competitions in colouring, mobile app sticker design, slogan writing, photography, and short video production received over 430 entries. More than 90 students and parents received awards, and 20 schools were presented with the “Best Supporting School” awards.

The event concluded with an Adapted Sports Taster Fair, where participants tried cornhole, floor curling, rhythmic exercise, and a heart rate monitoring system. For more details about the Jockey Club Move Without Borders Project, please visit: https://jcmwb.hk