A programme aimed at enabling learners who are enthusiastic about football to gradually unleash their talent is set to go ahead full steam in schools in the Mangaung Metro. This is after 531 footballs were donated to primary schools in Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, and Thaba Nchu.
These were presented on 11 October at the Heide Primary School in Bloemfontein, with Safa as the implementing agent of the Fifa Football for Schools initiative.
The drive is targeting both boys and girls, between the ages of six and 14 years. Through the ambitious programme, Fifa aims at reaching 700 million children in the poorest and remote areas globally.
The Football for Schools programme was launched in 2019, but came to a grinding halt because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The world football governing body has relaunched the programme with an initial budget of $100 million.
Lucas Matobako, president of Safa in the Mangaung region, said the responsibility ensuring the project thrives was on the 136 schools under the Free State Department of Education in partnership with stakeholders. He said Fifa’s decision to pilot the programme in South African schools was due to the country hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
According to Matobako, the chosen schools will also benefit from undergoing training programmes by teachers and trained technical officials to transfer basic skills and knowledge of the game.
He said the meaningful change about the programme is it allowing teachers passionate about football and its development to coach multitudes of learners to gradually sharpen their football skills and unearth raw talent through their participation in this initiative.
Fifa aims at reaching 700 million children in the poorest and remote areas globally.
