BEIJING — The overall physical health of Chinese students has gradually improved from 2016 to 2018, according to the Ministry of Education.

Sample tests showed only 8.09 percent of students around the country tested "physically unqualified" in 2018, dropping 3.91 percentage points from the figure in 2016, the ministry said.

The percentage of students who were tested "excellent" or "good" in their physical qualities rose 1.6 percentage points and 2.47 percentage points respectively from two years ago, said the ministry.

To promote the physical health of students in primary and middle schools, the ministry has increased the proportion of physical education classes, extracurricular exercises, and health education while reducing unnecessary academic burdens on them.

Figures showed the number of PE and health teachers in primary and middle schools has increased to 653,000 in 2018 from 566,000 in 2015.

In the meantime, 89.6 percent of primary and middle schools had playgrounds of up-to-standard sizes in 2018, compared with 68.6 percent in 2015.