The Lagos State government has announced plans to fuse education and sports in its schools, with a view to revamping School Sports in the state, the Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Mr Sola Aiyepeku, has said.
Aiyepeku, who stated this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, was quoted by the Director of Public Relations, Titi Oshodi-Eko, as saying that the meeting agreed that there must be a fusion of Sports and Education in Lagos state.
Oshodi-Eko said the synergy would pave way for all round development of students’ talents.
“This was the position of a joint interactive session, during a zoom meeting held on Tuesday, by the Management of LSSC, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development and the Commissioner for Education.
“Others are the officials from the Curricular department of the Ministry of Education, officials from the six education districts and the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), as well as the President of Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF),” She said.
Aiyepeku commended the involvement of the Ministry of Education in the development of School Sports in the state.
“I must appreciate the enthusiasm and support from both the ministry of education and SUBEB. This will give us the great opportunity to work out physical plans to actualise the vision of having good synergy between sports and education in Lagos.
“For us to achieve this, there must be hard work, discipline and commitment to the management of school sports in the state.
“The ministry of youth and social development, the LSSC, and the ministry of education, must work together to enhance formidable school sports development in the state,” Aiyepeku was quoted as saying.
The Commissioner of Education, Folasade Adefisayo, assured of the ministry’s cooperation with the LSSC, saying that sports was an important aspect of the school curriculum.
“We will all work together, as a team to achieve the desired goals,” she said.
The Chairman of SUBEB appealed strongly for the need to advance the course of sports in Lagos state, as the proposed collaboration would improve sports, groom talents, enhance the skills and overall competencies of Lagos students.
Bisi Joseph, the President of the Nigeria Schools Sports Federation, said there was urgent need to sensitise stakeholders to buy into sports development at the grassroots.
“There is need to revive Inter House Sports Competitions in schools and the National School Sports Festival. There is no doubt that Lagos state is the residence of sports in Nigeria as the state has over time, been creating opportunities for Athletes to showcase their talents,” he said. (NAN)
