Online Reporter
Lawrence Moyo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Torerayi Moyo, has hailed the inaugural Betterbrands Cup, a schools football tournament which ended at Prince Edward school on Wednesday.
Dr Moyo was impressed by the standard of football displayed by the schools on the final day and the manner in which the tournament was organised on the first attempt.
Allan Wilson clinched the Nash Under-20 title after beating Rusunguko 3-2 on penalties following a goalless draw, while Chiedza Primary from Norton lifted the NAPH Under -14 title before a full house.
Dr Moyo was the guest of honour and was accompanied by Zifa president Nqobile Magwizi, NASH and NAPH leadership, together with senior officials from Betterbrands and the Scottland FC executive.
“I’m so excited because I saw exciting football. This is the climax of the Heritage Based Curriculum, where we are identifying talent in our students. HBC is not mainly concerned with academic performance. We value both academic performance and sporting discipline.
“We want to appreciate the support that we receive from our partners, Betterbrands, which represents Scottland Football Club. And we want to appreciate the investment of more than US$200 000 towards the tournament, the MOPS Betterbrands Cup.
“We want to congratulate the winners, Alan Wilson High School and Chiedza Primary School in Norton, for walking away with US$10 000 for coming up as the first winners of the tournament.”
Dr Moyo said grassroots football will benefit from the support that Government is now getting from corporate sponsors, including Betterbrands.
“These are the fruits of the MoU that we signed with ZIFA, and we want to appreciate our President for the investments in the Munhumutapa Cup, an investment of more than US$5 million.
“That is going to contribute immensely towards the realisation of the talent of our youngsters. There’s a, an adage which says you need to catch them young, and here we are trying; we are identifying talent from as early as ECD.
“The students who are participating in the NAPH, NASH tournament. These are the Under-12 students, those who are in the Primary School. So, we really appreciate the support we are receiving from the Government, and also from our businesspeople who support the Government.
“We really appreciate everything that our visionary leader, Comrade Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, is giving us as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education,” said Dr Moyo.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education permanent secretary, Moses Mhike, watched proceedings on Tuesday when teams battled it out in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Mhike was pleased with the way the inaugural Betterbrands Cup progressed and believes the tournament will go a long way in assisting their efforts to nurture talent from the grassroots.
“If you remember, in the beginning of the year, at the end of last year, we signed a partnership or a memorandum of understanding with Betterbrands, and you know, Betterbrands are the owners of Scottland FC.
“As a ministry, we were really very, very happy when we entered into this partnership because one of the things that this partnership is going to be doing is grassroots identification and talent nurturing, and specifically for soccer, foot-ball.
“I think as a ministry we are now very, very happy. This is our inaugural tournament, and we have got all 10 provinces represented here, with two teams for primary and secondary education.
“You know, for sport development to be able to happen in Zimbabwe, you have got to start where it all begins: this is at both primary and secondary levels, and I hope, as a ministry, we are going to be playing our role with this kind of support from Honourable (Pedzai) Sakupwanya we know we are going to be identifying quite a lot of talent that can then be able to fit into our national teams, be it the Under-17, Under-18 or the Under-20s.”
Mhike said the Betterbrands Cup gives kids in the rural areas an equal opportunity to showcase their talent.
“I think this has also opened up talent for those kids in the rural areas that didn’t at times get the opportunity to be identified, and so, as a ministry, we hope we are going to be a feeder into the national teams, and we also hope Zifa will also be around so that they can then be able to identify the talent that we have got.
“We were just watching a soccer match between Rusununguko, which is Mash East, and Ngezi Barracks. I think in Zimbabwe we have got very good talent, and we are so, so grateful and we hope and wish that we will continue to have a very sustained and good relationship with Betterbrands, Scottland FC.”
