Africa-Press – Botswana. The tripartite ministries of Sport and Arts, Child Welfare and Basic Education as well as Local Government and Traditional Affairs have been engaging with an intention to commence school sport activities from August 2025.
Answering a question in Parliament on Thursday, the Minister of Sport and Arts, Mr Jacob Kelebeng said commencement is inclusive of non-sport co-curricular activities. Minister Kelebeng said that the resumption of the activities would be confined at school level and would gradually grow until its fully implemented in the 2026/2027 financial year.
He said that the ministry and its partners were working on a long-term solution of implementation of the school sport programme.
“This solution will ensure a clear demarcation of the functional responsibilities between all stakeholders involved in co-curricular activities and school sport and benefits thereof,” Minister Kelebeng said, adding that the move would also address welfare concerns of teacher coaches.
He said it should be noted that steps have been taken to ensure that welfare of teacher coaches was addressed and this included current review of proposals that have been received from unions and engagement of former school sport associations for guidance, adding that government took welfare of teachers seriously.
Mr Kelebeng said investment in capacity development of coaches, administrators and technical officials as managers of sport was seen as an incentive that encouraged teacher involvement as coaches and organisers for sport and recreation activities at school level.
The minister further said that engagements were ongoing between various stakeholders with a view of finding a long-term solution to bring back sport to public schools.
He said the Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education was seen as a key stakeholder in these engagements. Minister Kelebeng added that the long-term solution would ensure that school sport programme was adequately provided for financially and human resource wise through the relevant ministry.
He said that a total amount of P55 619 600 was allocated for piloting the newly established Matlhagolatsela Sport Programme in the financial year 2024/25.
The programme, he said, was on interim approach to re-start school sport while a permanent one was still sought for reinstatement of school sport.
He said it also served as support programme for selection and preparation of athletes for international competitions when there were no alternative means to prepare and select athletes for national teams.
Amongst other things, when the Ministry of Sport and Arts would resume school sports and co-curricular activities, which have been on hold since 2019.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
