Sports equipment boost for teachers’ colleges
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SPORTS Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe (SLIZ), in partnership with Liike and Sports Development of Finland, on Monday donated sports equipment to local Teachers’ Colleges in an effort to promote physical education and sport.
This comes as part of the partnership between SLIZ, Liike and Sports Development, and the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development that was formed in 2023.
The equipment includes, table tennis bats, soccer balls, soccer boots and shin pads, cones, basketball balls, tennis balls, rackets, sneakers and handball balls among other stuff.
Speaking on the sidelines of the handover ceremony to the various colleges’ representatives, at Belvedere Technical Teachers College, SLIZ president Russell Mhiribidi said the idea is to capacitate the colleges for physical education and sport coaching.
“The whole idea is to develop the teaching of physical education and sport coaching in our Teachers’ Colleges after a survey that we carried out in 2020, 2021 revealed that there was need for more theoretical and practical knowledge on the part of the lecturers, so that they deliver and teach the student teachers very well.
“It contributes to sport development in that these student teachers are deployed countrywide, and they go and teach the right basic fundamentals in sport development, in any sport.
“That way we ensure that children are taught the right basic fundamentals that allow for proper growth when it comes to long-term athlete development,” Mhiribidi said.
The four-year-partnership runs until next year.
Guest of honour, director for tertiary education programmes in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Darlington Damba said the donation will bring immense benefits to athletes, institutions and communities.
“Among other things, this donation will, one, enhance access to quality sports equipment.
“This donation ensures that more individuals, regardless of background, have access to the resources they need to nurture their skills.
“Two, encouraging youth participation in sports. With improved equipment, we will inspire more young people to take part in structured sporting activities, leading to healthier lifestyles and greater discipline.
“Three, strengthening our partnership among SLIZ, Liike, and the Ministry.
“Our collaboration is a testament to the importance of international cooperation in promoting sport development.
“Today, we celebrate not just a donation, but an investment in the future of Zimbabwean sports.
“We deeply appreciate the efforts of Liike and Sports Development, and the Sports Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe for making this possible,” he said.
Mkoba Teachers College head of department technical education Collen Daramachi expressed gratitude for the support towards physical education and sport.
“We are very much delighted to receive a donation from SLIZ in partnership with Liike.
“The donation will go a long way in trying to improve the way we deliver physical education, specifically focusing on adapted physical education and health. We are very much delighted to receive the equipment today.
“The programme plays a very crucial role in the development of sports in Zimbabwe because we know that physical education is the basis of sport.
“So, if physical education is executed in the right manner, we are assured that our sport is going to develop across the spectrum of the whole nation,” Daramachi said.
Also in attendance at the handover ceremony was Belvedere Teachers College principal Juliana Mbofana and representatives from the various Teachers’ Colleges.
The post Sports equipment boost for teachers’ colleges appeared first on herald.