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Sport and Recreation South Africa

Lottery needed for new sport system

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:48

A portion of the National Lottery money could be geared to fund critically needed sporting activities in schools, Parliament has heard.

According to the Department of Basic Education, sport was now going to be an integral part of the school curriculum.

The department, along with Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA), made a joint presentation on bettering sports in poorly resourced schools.

The departments made their presentations before a joint sitting of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education and its Sport and Recreation counterpart earlier on Tuesday.

While the house agreed that sporting should be part of the curriculum, the question of funding came under the spotlight.

Several funding options were suggested, but the Department of Education indicated that talks were in the pipeline with National Lottery with the view of funding the programme.

Committee members said sports and teachers’ unions should be consulted and made to support the initiative, highlighting that rural schools should not be left out.

The department said the plan included the establishment of a “well coordinated and seamless school sport system,” and that it would regulate “access and delivery of school sport irrespective of ability” in all schools.

It would also “facilitate cooperation with local government to ensure that schools have access to municipal facilities.”

The plan also meant to sustain ongoing league programmes, talent identification and development and coaching to improve skills.

The ministers in the respective departments were set to meet tomorrow over the plan.

The presentation provoked several questions from the members, who said that the plan was overdue as it was mooted six years ago, but nothing had happened.

The committee also indicated that the departments were set to be called back after the respective ministers met and discussed the plan.