By: Tolulope Oluwole
In a bid to develop young talents in sporting activities from the grassroots, the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) in collaboration with the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), on Wednesday, held State Finals of the Basic Education School Sports competition.
In his keynote address, State SUBEB Chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan said that the introduction of sports early into the life of learners helps in developing their cognitive, affective and psycho-motor skills with a view to sharpen their intellectual minds.
He added that UBEC/SUBEB recognizing the importance of school sports as well as the existing gap in school sports, complied with the National Council on Education (NCE) directives and sets aside fund for sports development in schools for the purpose of reviving and promoting sports at the basic education level.
According to him, the main objectives of this is to harness the potentials of learners, develop their skills at this level, for self-sustenance and to serve as bedrock for the nations sport development.
“Basic Education Schools Sports (BESS) is the foundation programme developed to “Catch them Young”. This will avail the learners an all-round and robust development, promote the maxim of a “sound mind in a sound body”, reduce restiveness and indiscipline among learners, inculcate the intrinsic value of sportsmanship, teamwork and fair play, foster national unity among leamers through interaction and friendly sporting activities”.
“BESS it includes intramural and extramural sports competitions, provision and maintenance of sports facilities, equipment and supplies. The State Govenment under the leadership of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in conjunction with Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has approved the utilization of 1% matching grants for the implementation of Basic Education School Sports.
“Sport materials has been given to some basic schools for the year 2020 Sport Development, while another set of basic schools will be given for year 2021 and 2022 very soon”.
He, however urged every participants and the officials to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and embrace peaceful competition.
The State Coordinator of UBEC, Ondo State, Mrs Olanike Adams opined that the idea of the competition is to ensure they education is all encompassing and that is why UBEC and SUBEB came together to encourage the young ones to have interest sports, developing their psyche, so that they can know that there are also stars in the field apart from the classroom.
According to her, the sports will help them spur, spell out whatever they want to become in the future, identify different talents in the learners.
In his reaction, the Head of Service of Ondo State, Pastor Kayode Ogundele noted that what SUBEB had done, is principally what is called “raising them from the craddle”, bringing out talents from the young boys and girls in primary schools.
“What we’ve seen today is very encouraging, once we are able to sustain this, very soon, Nigeria will be a sporting nation to be recognized with in all spheres.
“This is to show that the future of the state as well as the future of the nation will help the children to ensure that they can combine sports with academics and they can they can succeed and excel in both sports and academics”.
The activities that made up the sports competition held at St Thomas Aquinas college school field includes zonal Match past, (Owo, Ondo, Akoko, Akure, Okitipupa), 100m race, 400m relay race for boys and girls, high jump, long jump and a football final between Owo and Ondo which ended 2-0 in favour of Owo zone, with Akoko Zone emerging as the overall winner of the sports competition on the medals table.
