Sports/art competition winners announced, inclusive school sport programme launched

On 8 February, the ministry of education, arts and culture and the ministry of sport, youth and national services, together with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)’s regional Sport for Development in Africa (S4DA) programme concluded its sports/art competition.

Through the Integrated Physical Education and School Sports Programme (IPESS), children throughout the 14 regions of Namibia were asked to illustrate what sports and physical education mean to them.

They did this through the medium of art and drawings that were flooding in from all regions, with the best 12 being selected to be part of a IPESS calendar.

During the prize-giving ceremony, the minister of sports, Agnes Tjongarero, and the minister of education, Ester Anna Nghipondoka, handed over the prizes to two of the 12 winners.

"The sport/art competition was an initiative started by the ministries' programme, IPESS. It officially launched on 24 September 2021 and ran until 24 October 2021. Children between seven and 16 years could enter the competition by submitting a drawing, showing the importance of sport and physical education.

“In addition, each child submitted a short story describing how sport has impacted their lives. The drawings and stories will form part of the 2022 IPESS calendar," a press statement read.

From the entries received, the judging panel picked the 12 winners to be featured on the calendar. These winners were also awarded prizes and came from all over Namibia.

The winners hail from various regions such as Khomas, Oshana, Ohangwena and //Karas.

The prizes given to each winner consisted of a complete art set, a skipping rope, a football and an IPESS gift hamper made up of an IPESS mask, T-shirt, water bottle, notebook and sports bag.

The two winners present at the prize-giving ceremony were Maria Rengura from the Chairman Mao Zedong High School and Penyovamati Hashiti of the Green Leaves Primary School as well as a participant from Physically Active Youth (PAY).

According to the report, the IPESS programme promotes education and school sports and will become an "intrinsic part of all school learners' overall development and forms part of their healthy lifestyle".

"It is a fully inclusive programme and won't just focus on the 'very sporty' children. Every boy and girl, whatever their level of ability, will be included. No one will be left behind. The 'sport for development' concept that has already been rolled out and implemented successfully across the nation and trained teachers in physical education laid the foundation for this programme," the statement read.