Views:691 | By: Alice As the saying goes, All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. The new syllabus is paving the way for the Taekwondo's punches to crawl into our classrooms, and eventually, our children as the Kenyan government punches up the new Craft Based Curriculum in primary schools.

The CBC curriculum has led to Kenyan schools introducing new activities to help students keep up with the syllabus, including Taekwondo. Ironically the punches are proving to be more effective than expected.

According to Asha Adhiambo, a director at Finchley academy in Malindi, Taekwondo is not as violent as it poses but has lots of advantages, and hers is a testimony of redemption.

She says Kenyan schools have implemented new activities, such as Taekwondo, to help students stay up with the CBC curriculum, and she urges parents to support the sport.

Taekwondo is a full-contact sport that focuses on kicking and punching and hand strikes, a quality that Asha is confident is beneficial to the girl child, as it will come in handy in case she needs it to protect herself.

Henry Katana is a professional taekwondo captain based in Malindi, Kilifi county, who is in charge of more than 15 schools, a sign that the once referred sport is gaining traction and is embraced by most parents teachers, and even students.

According to Katana, Taekwondo is a martial art that is not only great for defense but can also tone your body, keep you looking young and even prevent chronicle diseases.

However, Stanley Kinoti, the chairman of the Mombasa Taekwondo Association, says the once-revered sport previously viewed as fitful has proved to be one of the most beneficial sports and martial art. Furthermore, the "Do" part of Taekwondo represents discipline.

According to Mr. Kinoti, it takes at least six years to reach the pro level, depending on the training program, but three months is sufficient for the basics.

Miss Goldina Chuchu Maneno, a parent to one Tyra, a pupil at Finchley academy who has participated in Taekwondo for the last three years, agrees with Mr. Kinotis sentiment as she attributes her child's academic performance with the discipline, which is a component of Taekwondo.

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