Learners in Nelson Mandela Bay schools are probably more used to hearing “don’t neglect your homework”, but that might soon change.
This is after the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture held a School Sports Indaba earlier this month in Gauteng.
After the indaba, all the stakeholders are committed to work together to develop and implement a model for a sustainable school sport system in South Africa.
One of the key decisions taken at the indaba is to incorporate sport into the school curriculum.
The ultimate goal is to see learners play sport on a regular basis, and that physical education be introduced as a stand-alone subject.
The indaba was led by the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, who described school sport as the bedrock of sport development in South Africa.
“The indaba has set the path forward for government, sport and education, and civil society partners to work together towards a sustainable national school sport programme,” said Kodwa.
Plans will be set in motion to form a national body.
The aim will be to make it possible for children to play sports regularly.
Sport facilities at schools will come under the spotlight, and Physical Education may soon be implemented as a stand-alone subject.
These developments have been well received by teachers and coaches in Nelson Mandela Bay, but they also acknowledged there will be challenges.
“Awesome,” was the reaction of Lyntin Gouws of Muir College on Physical Education as a subject.
“Kids nowadays are not getting enough exercise, nor are they getting opportunities to have ball skill sessions,” the rugby and cricket coach said.
“Many kids are heading home to their PlayStation after a school day, and not participating in any form of physical activity.
“Having sport or physical education in the syllabus will be an opportunity for kids to develop and push themselves to create a positive, competitive environment.
“More kids would want to participate and the more sporting codes they are subject to, the more they will want to try codes which they might become a success in.”
He feels that the challenge is that staff might not see the benefit in this, and thus not implement the syllabus as prescribed.
“And who will be designing the syllabus,” he asks.
David Glover of St George’s Prep School feels it would be great if pupils can be given the option to choose sport as a subject.
“To do a subject till matric in something they enjoy could enhance their performance at the highest level,” the top swimming coach said.
“An hour a day as part of a school day will make a huge difference. It would be good if a learner can choose sport as a subject from Grade 10.”
He feels that a challenge might be that more professional coaches will have to get involved.
“A sport like swimming is mostly done at clubs, but if it is included more in schools, more coaches have to be roped in.”
