School sport, art & culture to get a boost
The memorandum of understanding signed will be a guideline on how both departments should implement arts, culture, and school sport programmes.
POLOKWANE – The Department Sport, Arts and Culture MEC, Onicca Moloi and the Department of Education MEC, Ishmael Kgetjepe signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on an integrated School sport, arts and culture framework during a ceremony that was held yesterday (Wednesday) at the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
Every financial year the government allocates funding to support Arts and Culture, as well as School Sport Programmes.
According to Moloi, in spite of many competing needs such as housing, sanitation, and electricity, arts and culture and sport remain high on their priority list. Government therefore has a duty to ensure that all funding is utilised optimally.
She said, “The people’s choice to practice their culture and express their artistic creativity is protected by the Bill of Rights. Sport is also an essential tool that has multiple functions in society. Government has a responsibility to support and promote these programmes for the benefit of society.”
She further said, as the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Department of Education, they have agreed to sign a MoU, which will be a guideline on how they should implement arts, culture, and school sport programmes.
Moloi added although the programmes in the two departments are closely interlinked, it must be highlighted that while sport development is one of the key mandates of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the Department of Education is the custodian of schools and school children.
“This reality compels our two departments to harness our efforts and coordinate our programmes in order to obtain desired results. The two departments have planned to train a total of 1 000 coaches to capacitate them with requisite skills to implement the school sport programmes. Also, we will support 170 schools with sporting equipment and attire in order to encourage sport participation among the learners,” explained Moloi.
She added, over the years, school sport has proven to be the launch pad for several athletes, such as Caster Semenya’s, professional careers.
“We want to use these programmes to identify talent while still in its infancy. This will give us the opportunity to nurture young talent and avoid a situation wherein talented youngsters disappear into oblivion. Along with this we are working on resuscitating arts and cultural programmes in schools. Allowing our children to express themselves creatively will not only boast their learning skills, but will also serve as a catalyst for those who would later want to establish their career in the arts,” said Moloi.
