Amman, June 4 (Petra)– Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II,
Minister of Education Azmi Mahafzah, on Thursday 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 brought together students, schools, and education
directorates from across the Kingdom that excelled in this year’s
competition.

The ceremony opened 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, as
well as education officials, parents, and representatives of
educational institutions.

A documentary presentation highlighted the award’s journey since its
launch and its role in promoting physical fitness, school health, and
a culture of sports and physical activity among students.

In remarks delivered on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Director
of Educational Activities Abdulhakim Al-Shawabkeh said the royal
initiative was launched in 2005 to enhance physical fitness and
health while fostering sports participation among students.

He noted that the award has become a key platform for promoting
healthy lifestyles in Jordanian schools, adding that its continued
expansion reflects its success. This year, the competition attracted
985,117 students from 3,179 public, private, and military culture
schools across the Kingdom.

Al-Shawabkeh emphasized that the Ministry is steadily advancing
toward the award’s broader objective of making sports and physical
activity an integral part of students’ daily lives, thereby
contributing positively to their academic achievement and social
development.

“Since His Majesty launched this ambitious national project, the
award has represented far more than a sports competition,” he said.
“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 that contributes to shaping students’ character and
instilling values such as discipline, perseverance, teamwork, and
self-confidence, while also improving physical well-being and
preparing a generation capable of greater achievement and
contribution.

The ceremony featured a variety of athletic and artistic performances
presented by participating education directorates.

The Jerash Directorate of Education showcased a sports formations
display, while the Bani Obeid Directorate presented athletic and
artistic performances. The Amman Kasbah Directorate performed a
rhythmic movement show, and the University District Directorate
staged additional sports demonstrations. The event concluded with a
large-scale group performance involving participants from multiple
education directorates.

During the ceremony, the Ministry of Education also announced the
results of the 20th edition of the King Abdullah II Physical Fitness
Award across various age categories, as well as the outcomes of the
first Healthy Championship for male and female students, which saw
broad participation from schools affiliated with education
directorates and military culture schools throughout Jordan.

//Petra// MF