SCHOOL GAMES ESSENTIAL TO REVITALISE SPORTS IN LAGOS – SPORTS COMMISSION
The Lagos State Sports Commission has declared that school sports is the bedrock of its plans to revitalise sports in Lagos, just as stakeholders jointly agreed that there must be a fusion of sports and education to pave a way for all-round development of students’ talents across the State.
Speaking at a joint virtual interactive session of stakeholders, the Executive Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Sola Aiyepeku, commended the involvement of the Ministry of Education in School Sports development in Lagos, adding that the initiative to infuse sports and education will go a long way in tapping into the talents of the students and preparing them for an endurable future.
He said, “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 a good synergy between Sports and Education in Lagos. For us to achieve this, there must be hard work, discipline and commitment in the management of School Sports in the State”.
“The Ministry of Youth and Social Development, the Lagos State Sports Commission and the Ministry of Education must work together to enhance a formidable School Sports development in the State”, Aiyepeku added.
On her part, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, gave an assurance of the support and full cooperation of the Ministry with the Commission to revitalise school sports in Lagos State, adding that sports is already an important aspect of the curriculum in public schools across the metropolis.
The Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King, who was represented at the meeting by Mr. Dayo Israel, appealed strongly for the advancement of sports in Lagos State, noting that effective collaboration will definitely improve sports, grooming of talents and development of latent skills among Lagos Students.
Also speaking at the meeting, the President of Nigeria Schools Sports Federation, Bisi Joseph, urged stakeholders to buy into the development of Sports at the grassroots, through the revival of Inter House Sports Competitions in Schools and the National School Sports Festival.
Participants at the stakeholders’ meeting included the management team of Lagos State Sports Commission led by the Chairman, Mr. Sola Aiyepeku; the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Ganiu Dawodu; Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo; and Officials from the Co-Curricular Department of the Ministry of Education, officials from the six Education Districts and the Chairman of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King as well as the President of Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), Mr. Joseph Olabisi.