SCHOOLS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS DROPS BY 80%

MBABANE – Due to its vast reach, unparalleled popularity and foundation of positive values, sport is definitely one of the greatest things man has ever created.

But the Swaziland Schools Sports Association (SSSA) is faced with dwindling numbers in participation from their affiliates which mainly has been attributed to the free primary education. Information sourced from the SSSA executive ahead of the new calendar year for the association, primary schools participation in the activities has dropped by 80 per cent while it is 50 per cent for high schools.

Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic’s Foundation describes sports as a powerful tool that breaks down all the barriers and helps people find a feel good factor, both physically and mentally. “Sport is quite beneficial for children too. By playing sports, children develop physical skills, exercise, make new friends, have fun, learn to be a team member, learn about fair play and improve self-esteem, among other things,” a script by the foundation reads.

However, from about 1 000 primary schools in the country, participation has dropped to just 50 in the past year from the usual about 250 over the years. It is the unintended ramifications of free primary education to sports development and SSSA Secretary Felicity Dlamini said the dwindling numbers were mainly caused by the fact that government only pays schools late in the second term when schools sports are nearing the end.
In high schools, partaking has gone down by an estimated 50 per cent as only about 150 schools competed in sporting events organised by SSSA in the past year from a total of about 800 in the country. This is a decline from the 300 schools mass participation witnessed over the years.  

SSSA Marketing and Communications Officer Victor ‘Mavikane’ Dlamini raised the concerns in last Saturday’s Athletics Association of Swaziland (AAS) electoral Annual General Meeting.
No other thing in life affords children such opportunity to develop positive character traits and to soak up many quality values as sports does. Previously, associations and clubs have used schools sports to identify talent and it is where renowned soccer stars like Sibusiso ‘Spoko’ Dlamini, Siza ‘King Pele’ Dlamini and Tony Tsabedze, among others, were discovered and went on to make a name for themselves internationally, especially in the money spinning Premier Soccer League in South Africa.

SSSA starts their calendar with athletics in the first term with other sports like football and darts falling in the second.
Minister of Education Phenious Magagula has no comment on the shrinking numbers of participating schools referring questions to SSSA.

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