Aletta Shikololo
In an effort to improve the quality of physical education (PE) and sports in schools, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MEAC), Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and other stakeholders launched the Integrated Physical Education and School Sports (IPESS) programme.
The launch set to take place today at Van Rhyn Primary School in Windhoek, will kick off the advocacy programme and launch the colourful new logo for IPESS.
The new programme will see physical education and school sports become an intrinsic part of all school learners’ overall development and form part of their healthy lifestyle.
According to the deputy minister of education Faustina Caley, the programme will be fully inclusive and not just focus on sporty children.
“Every boy and girl, whatever his or her level of ability will be included. No one will be left behind. The ‘sport for development’ concept that has already been rolled out and implemented successfully across the nation and trained teachers in physical education laid the foundation for this programme,” she said.
To stimulate and raise the interest and participation in physical education and school sports, Caley noted that learners of all ages, teachers, school officials, parents and the private sector, amongst others will engage in the new programme.
The statement from the ministry said that the emphasis in schools has been only on academic development, whilst learners have seen their physical education and school sports activities reduced to incidental activities, leaving the learners with no outlet for their energy, but more importantly depriving them of the essential development that physical education and sports bring. “Development such as life skills, teamwork, learning how to deal with adversity, social development and interaction, gameplay as well as physical development and acquiring skills lead to a healthy lifestyle,” the statement reads.
The first major corporate sponsor of the IPESS programme is Green Enterprise Solutions, whose MD, Kehad Snydel, will hand over a cheque of N$350 000 – as a Gold Sponsor.
The IPESS programme will soon be rolled out across the 14 regions and engage all the relevant stakeholders to participate in sporting and physical education activities.
– ashikololo@nepc.com.na