Stakeholders Advise Schools To Raise Trailblazers through Sports
By Joyce Elagboji Agbo, Abuja.
Schools and parents in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city have been tasked to nurture the competitive spirit of students and talents in different sports in order to raise pioneers and trailblazers.
In the Lugbe area of Abuja’s Municipal Area Council of the FCT, the Our Unique Children Model Academy, held its Inter-House Sports Competition, marked by displays of several sports activities and competitions.
In her address with journalists, the Chief Custodian of the school and host of the event, Gladys Ekwueme Okoro, said the school places a premium on sport activities and encourages students to showcase their talents in sport and all areas of learning.
“Twenty first (21st) century education is all about skills, entrepreneurship and activities. The emphasis is no longer totally on classroom, writing and reading,” Okoro said. “So we expose these children to various activities, we want to develop them.”
“We want to teach them other things different from the normal norms and so we created all these activities and put it under inter-house sports for them all to exhibit.”
“Our focus is to take care of all children inclusively. It doesn’t matter if they have a challenge or with any special needs,” she added.
“We give individualised training; we go at every child’s pace. We are not where we want to be yet, but we are hopeful that the future is great.”
Noting that it was really awesome creating opportunities for the students to find expression through sports and other skills, the Chairman of the event and the sponsor of Yellow House; one of the participating houses at the event, Lion Oscar Ehirim, expressed his satisfaction at the displays by the children.
He stressed the need for the country to always celebrate sport talents and support them to build on their skills.
“We really need to pay attention to children who are skilled in sports, because we have so many young children coming up in all kinds of sports. I am impressed and all the parents here are impressed,” he said.
Ehirim further advised that to uncover more talents and produce trailblazers, there is need to catch children young and groom young talents not only academically, but also in sport.
In reaction, one of the students, Al-Amin Abdulrahaman said; “I am happy that I participated in the march-past and Martial Arts displays. I joined martial arts to improve my stamina, defend my family and defend myself”.
Sport Master, Yellow House, Lukman Olatunbosun, with excitement commended the happy children for competing against each other in a friendly manner, stating that everyone’s training paid off.
The event was attended by students, parents, stakeholders and visiting schools who cheered children participating in march-past, track events, ball games, martial arts and dance displays.
Houses that participated at the event were: Yellow (Oscar Ehirim) House, Red (Muna Okoro) House, Blue (Babale Umar) House and the overall winning house, Green (Francis Iweze) House, who came first position in the sports competition.
