British Council launches athletics programme for Ghanaian kids
Mrs. Joyce Datsa, a Senior Athletics Coach from the National Sports Council has advocated for the introduction of children athletics at the basic level since it was simple and could be done anywhere.
In this regard, she has asked teachers to take the training of children in athletics seriously and that children should not be forced against their will, rather be encouraged to participate in athletics willingly .
Mrs Datsa said this on Thursday, at the launch of a two- day Kids Athletics Programme organized by the British Council In collaboration with U.K Sports and United Nations International Children’s Educational Fund (UNICEF).
The programme also organized training for teachers from selected basic schools in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) District on how to deliver entertaining, attractive, accessible and instructive athletics to children between the ages of six and 12.
The British Council through the International Inspiration program which is currently working in 10 Senior High Schools across the country seek to use the power of high quality and inclusive physical education, sports, and fun to enrich the lives of millions of children and the youth in schools and communities across the world.
The programme is also to roll out Kids Athletics across all districts in the country by the year 2014.
Mrs. Datsa who is also the International Association for Athletics Federation (IAAF) kid athletics lecturer discouraged the practice of weighing children before allowing them to participate in athletics, stressing that it was not fair on the part of the kids who were overweight because some of them despite their weight could be very good sportsmen.
She also advised teachers not to make sport training appear like a punishment rather a source of fun for the children and warned against discrimination as well as endeavour to give every child the chance to participate to enable them acquire the requisite skills and talents.
Mrs. Elizabeth Adawu-Mensah, the Deputy Director of Human Resource of the Elmina Municipal Education Office said such programs were opportunities for teachers to acquire new knowledge and skills and impact it on the children to broaden their horizon.
Source: GNA