Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
PRIMARY schools have started playing ball games at cluster level in preparation for the national finals that will be held next month in Matabeleland South.
Cynthia Khumalo, the National Association of Primary Heads (Naph) president, said an aura of excitement has gripped primary school learners as well as teachers following resumption of sport after a two-year hiatus caused by Covid-19. She said they are waiting for Matabeleland South province to inform them on the venue they’d settled for the national finals that will run from July 27-29.
Last month Government lifted the ban on schools’ sporting activities imposed at the beginning of 2020 as part of measures to contain Covid-19.
Primary schools were granted authority to resume all sporting activities, while the condition for secondary schools to enjoy the same benefit is to have 70 percent of learners vaccinated against Covid-19. Secondary schools were only given the greenlight to resume non-contact sporting activities.
Khumalo said ball games being played from cluster to provincial level are football, netball, handball, basketball and volleyball.
However, due to financial constraints faced by Naph, they will only stage boys’ football, netball, basketball and volleyball at the national finals.
“The Under-14 ball games finals are set for end of July in Matabeleland South. As it is, competitions have started at schools, with provincial chairpersons working on their provincial finals for the ball games we settled for. We couldn’t cater for all ball games at the national finals because of finances, but during the run-up to the national finals, all learners will participate in all ball games.
“The start of games has brought excitement to children and teachers alike, with discipline improving because of the responsibilities that sport brings,” said Khumalo. — @ZililoR
Online Reporter