Call for compulsory swimming lessons in the Northern Territory

IN a bid to address the deadly decline in water safety skills in the Territory, Royal Life Saving NT is continuing to strive for compulsory swim lessons across all primary schools

In a bid to address the deadly decline in water safety skills in the Territory, Royal Life Saving NT is continuing to strive for compulsory swim lessons across all primary schools

IN a bid to address the deadly decline in water safety skills in the Territory, Royal Life Saving NT is continuing to strive for compulsory swim lessons across all primary schools.

Royal Life Saving NT executive director Floss Roberts said swimming lessons for children are not compulsory in the NT and they have been pushing to change that for more than a decade.

A total of 89 schools across the NT provided children with lessons, but the Territory does not have a compulsory swimming program unlike some other jurisdictions around the country.

Ms Roberts said it was a concern because thousands of kids could grow up not learning how to swim.

Royal Surf Life Saving NT figures show that less than 10 per cent of Territory children are meeting the national benchmark for swimming.

Meanwhile, the NT also has the highest rates of drowning per a capita in Australia.

In the NT, 10 children aged 0-4 years drowned in the past 15 years, half of whom were in home swimming pools.

Karama Primary School principal Tim Morgan said his school has been working closely with Royal Life Saving NT to ensure their students are learning from their Swim and Survive program.

Swim and Survive is a national Royal Life Saving initiative that seeks to increase the swimming and water safety skills of children across Australia. It ensures the essential components of personal survival and water safety are provided, in addition to a process of developing strong and effective swimming techniques.