Kerala’s ‘Aquafit’ to train 14,000 students in swimming; pools within 5 km of schools

Ponnani: The General Education Department is launching the ‘Aquafit’ programme to provide swimming training to students across Kerala. The initiative is part of the state government’s 100-day action plan aimed at improving students’ physical fitness, awareness of water safety and lifesaving skills. In the first phase, 14,000 students will receive training, with 1,000 students selected from each district.

Swimming pools within 5-km radius

Suitable swimming pools located within a five-kilometre radius of participating schools will be identified for the training. The department will seek the cooperation of local self-government institutions and other departments to implement the programme.

Given Kerala’s large number of rivers, streams and water bodies, the government views swimming not only as a sporting skill but also as an important lifesaving skill.

Kerala records over 1,300 drowning deaths annually

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission had earlier directed the government to declare drowning a state disaster and take steps to reduce such incidents.

According to National Crime Records Bureau data for 2024, 1,385 people died by drowning in Kerala, including 1,160 men. The state recorded 1,307 drowning deaths in 2021, 1,419 in 2022 and 1,344 in 2023.

Despite the rising number of drowning incidents, opportunities for scientific swimming training remain limited in the state. It is against this backdrop that the General Education Department is introducing the swimming training programme for students.