Speech by David Coltart

Remarks by the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, at the unveiling of the sponsorship programme of soccer development by the Federal Republic of Germany through the GTZ

9 June 2010

[Protocol List]

Colleagues and friends in the Sport and Media fraternity I am glad to have you here this morning on the eve of the kick off of the FIFA 2010 World Cup in neighbouring South Africa. Sport in Zimbabwe is very diverse but ahead of them all is the popularity of soccer. The match between our Warriors and the Samba Boys of Brazil is a case in point of the role soccer plays or rather can effectively play in rebranding our Nation, the creation of social cohesion as well as effective nation building. My Ministry is concerned with the development of sport and realises the need to equip the sector so as to make it realise its potential as a source of economic development.

Sport, especially soccer, needs to be resourced not only through the injection of finances but through the availing of technical expertise to increase its developmental programmes and its reach to the grassroots in our society. The future and sustainability of soccer can only be in developing a strong, developmental, broad-based, inclusive youth policy. Without such a foundation for soccer the nation is least likely to see its teams take part in future world, continental and regional tournaments.

It is the policy position of my Ministry that sport in schools be inclusive and also part of every school in order to make the schools a friendly learning environment. Every school child should have access to a good sport that he or she enjoys. Furthermore sport, especially soccer, should be accessible all year round. Parents and guardians who would want to have their children pursue a sporting career should be enabled to do so through access to sports development institutions and academies. It is my Ministry’s vision and belief that sport should not be viewed by Heads of schools, teachers and anyone else as a co-curricular or at worst an extra-curricular activity. Sport in a child friendly school environment should be part of the mainstream curriculum and not left to those who are said to be academically challenged. Positive views of sport can only be enhanced if there is an equally positive affirmation of sport development at national level.

It is in the pursuance of the above that the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has decided to partner with the Federal Republic of Germany through the GTZ to develop both the in-school and out of school football in Zimbabwe. GTZ has undertaken to provide technical expertise in the person of a football expert seconded to ZIFA’s Soccer Development Department from the German Football Association. Mr Klaus-Dieter Pagles will come to Zimbabwe in August for a period of two years. The Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture is grateful for the support offered by the Federal Republic of Germany in this regard. He will be supported by the German Embassy through GTZ to provide technical advice to the ZIFA in the areas of:

  • Youth Football – where he will be instrumental in the development of an all year youth league ranging from under-11 through to under-19.
  • Women’s Football – in this area a lot of emphasis will be placed on the promotion and inspiration of school girl soccer though tournaments at their level.
  • Five-a-side Football will also be developed.
  • Training of Coaches and Referees will be given more emphasis to include even the younger lot as well.
  • The area of football administration will receive attention as it is my Ministry’s concern that a sport with such a large following is failing to professionalise itself and become a financial powerhouse. Surely good, impeccable administration will result in a proudly competitive, professional and viable sport.

The Zimbabwe Football Association is in turn commissioned by my Ministry to implement the commitments of the Ministry working hand in glove with the Department of International Relations of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, Frankfurt/Main. The Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture will continue to support the activities of the Expert.

Further, it is imperative on me to clarify that this expert does not come to MoESAC and ZIFA as a Coach for the national team. No! His role is to oversee the development of the sport from a grassroots level. ZIFA should not derail these sport development efforts at any time as it is in the interest of the future of soccer that they see to it that the efforts succeed. Institutional memory has it on record that we need not repeat historical mistakes but rather work to create a history of achievement in soccer development in Zimbabwe.

May I thank the Federal Republic of Germany represented here by the deputy ambassador Mattias Schumacher for their generosity and support to sport development in Zimbabwe.

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