Provincial minister Albert Fritz participates in physical activities at Cornflower Primary School in Lentegeur. The minister visited the school’s sports centre where after-school programmes are offered. Children are provided with a safe space to learn and play after school hours.

 

'Keep on moving' is the name of the game for a brighter and

healthier future.

 

 

Pupils are being encouraged to attend free sports and recreational

after-school programmes.

 

The provincial Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport has opened

sport centres at nearly 200 schools across the province. To

promote a healthy lifestyle pupils are provided with access to an

after-school sports and cultural programme.

 

Nomafrench Mbombo, the provincial minister of Cultural Affairs

and Sport, and provincial minister of social development Albert

Fritz visited the sports centre at Cornflower Primary School in

Lentegeur.

 

 

 

The aim of the visit is to ensure the centres are safe places for young children to learn and play after school hours.  

The Cornflower centre was established in 2010, Mbombo says, and now specialises in hockey.

 

“In 2010/11 the school provided this service to 44 pupils. This has grown to 130 pupils this year. This centre is doing incredible work,” Mbombo boasts. “We are doing a lot to keep pupils engaged in constructive activity on sportsfields across the province. At the same time, they are honing their skills in different sporting codes and keeping active and healthy.”

 

With accredited and well-skilled coaches, participants receive professional training on the sportsfield.

 

“With the funding that we receive from national government, we have managed to stretch our budget to its limit, as we have extended the reach of the centres to all nine education districts in the province,” she says.

 

In some of our high-risk communities, this after-school programme offers a safe place for learners, well trained and accredited coaches for the different sport codes and a daily meal serving component funded by the Department of Social Development in collaboration with DCAS.

 

As part of its objectives, the department of social development introduced an R18m feeding component at the centres.

The budget for this vital component has been increased to R32m in the 2014/15 financial year to ensure children do not go hungry.

She says: “The meals have improved and access to the service has been expanded to 140 schools.”

 

The after-school programme is also offered at Wavecrest Primary.

 

Former provincial minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport visited the school earlier this year.