Upon Government’s re-scheduling sporting activities for primary and secondary schools, some primary schools have raised their complaints against this directive.
This directive follows complaints of schools using classroom teaching time for competitive sports.
Teachers from these schools said that students should have their sports on Fridays and not Saturdays because it is a school day and teachers have more control on students. Moreover, students will not be able to use their bus fare vouchers on Saturdays since it is not a school day.
It must be made clear that teachers, irrespective of the day in which they are assigned to look after students, must take full responsibility and control over the students under their care.
Transport assistance vouchers should enable students to go to school and return home, not to take students to sports venues. Costs incurred by schools in competitive sports of any kind should be borne by the school management and that means utilizing sports funds.
Teachers, by now, should know that the teaching and learning process in the classroom takes precedence over all other activities in school. In that regard, classroom-teaching time, should not be compromised for competitive sports.
Competitive sports involve only a handful of students, not the whole school.
Such sporting activities require proper planning, clear instructions and teamwork.
The Ministry trusts that all teachers should now realise Government’s focus and emphasis on education and should align themselves to meet this goal.
Filipe Bole
Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts, Youth and Sports, Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment.