-Ministry seeks new model to develop and nurture athletes
In the realm of grassroots sports development in Botswana, one group has always stood tall: teachers. Their unwavering dedication has been the driving force behind nurturing athletic talent throughout the country. However, with the current suspension of school sports in Botswana lingering for nearly four years, it appears that the wait for their revival will be longer than anticipated.
This past weekend , Tumiso Rakgare, the Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport, and Culture, ignited a paradigm shift in Botswana's sporting landscape. Rakgare has boldly proclaimed that school sports will not see a swift comeback anytime soon. Instead, he envisions a groundbreaking new approach to grassroots development that taps into the expertise of former athletes.
Speaking at the Debswana Botswana Boxing Awards Ceremony recently held in Gaborone, Rakgare delivered a resounding message of hope and determination. He revealed that his ministry is burning the midnight oil to unveil a revamped and highly effective model for the return of school sports. This innovative approach will welcome former athletes into the fold, providing invaluable guidance and mentorship to cultivate budding talent.
As the sports arena eagerly awaits the dawn of this new era, one thing is clear: the days of relying solely on teachers are numbered. The future of Botswana's sporting success lies in the hands of those who have walked the path themselves—the seasoned athletes who can bring unparalleled experience and inspiration to the next generation. “We could have long started sports in schools but it is now beyond our control. It is our wish to see sports back at schools because Sports grassroots development is critical to good performance at national levels.
We have been running sports from the Ministry of Education and they said that they have been using between 68 and 80 million pula in paying teachers allowances every year," Rakgare explained. Rakgare said they have previously appointed supervisors who were assessing school sport administration and advised them accordingly and are now very clear with their new model of running schools sport with retired athletes, veterans, physical education graduates amongst others.
“With school sport playing a pivotal role in sports development in Botswana, the new model will take in former athletes in development of learners because of their experience and broader knowledge when it comes to sport. We have so many former athletes in our country who are doing nothing at the moment while our kids deserve to learn something from those veterans,” he highlighted.
He said that it is high time the country works hard to use the right people in the development of sports to ensure that Botswana continues to produce sports stars. “We have so many former athletes in our country that can go to schools and develop talent, they have contributed to this country, therefore it is time for them to get to schools and develop and nature talents, I will push this model because they are the right people for grassroots development,” Rakgare highlighted. He noted that they are currently in talks with the Ministry of Education to revive school sports.
Meanwhile , the Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA) Public Relations Officer, Letsweletse Jonas said they are in the dark of when the school sport will return and the kind of model that will be used, saying that they haven’t received any communication from the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC) and Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC).
“We are waiting for sports to resume then we will see how we are going to run the games. Whatever the method that comes we will follow suit as long as it benefits learners because we also want sport back at schools”, he said.
Furthermore Jonas highlighted that when school sport was under the Ministry of Education, the ministry compensated teachers at a certain amount but then when it was transferred to MYSC, the ministry had its own conditions which were low and teachers' unions did not accept this new dimension.
“The school sport would have been back but their challenge is how to implement it, however as school associations, we have our own thoughts but we have no platform to share such. We are yet to be consulted and we will wait for government's final communication on school sports,” Jonas said.