Public school students are taking part in at least 90 minutes of gym or sports activities every week, according to the Department of Education. Released in response to questions by Shadow Education Minister Dr Grant Gibbons, students in the Island’s primary schools are required to take part in between 90 and 120 minutes of physical education every week. Students in the Island’s Senior Schools meanwhile are involved in more than three hours of activity a week.Of the public schools, CedarBridge Academy requires the most athletics, with students expected to participate in three hours and 40 minutes of gym or sports per week.Students enrolled at the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy are also expected to take part in physical activities, with one hour of Adaptive Physical Education scheduled per week.Last month, Dr Gibbons called for the school day to be lengthened to allow more exercise to be fit into the school curriculum. He said that in addition to helping to combat the 25 percent obesity rate in youngsters, physical activity has been shown to improve academic results. “Lengthen the school day,” Dr Gibbons said. “Not only will this allow physical exercise, cricket, football and track, but it will also allow dance, martial arts to be incorporated into a longer school day.”At that time, Acting Education Minister Walter Roban responded that Government had been making great efforts to encourage students to exercise more, noting health programmes set up by the late Nelson Bascome and after school programmes.