“Botswana is basking in the last glory if school sport is not brought back in earnest.” This is the warning sent by Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union Secretary General, Tobokani Rari.
Rari’s words come as the country is in jubilant mood after attaining historic achievements at the recent Paris summer Olympics. Botswana got its first gold medal, through Letsile Tebogo in the 200m sprint. It also got silver medal in the 4x400m relay team.
The success of the teams has reignited debate over the return of school sport. For many sports commentators, school sport is the vehicle through which the country can attain more success as it builds a pool of athletes to choose from.
“School sport must be brought back in earnest, otherwise we are basking in the last glory,” observes Rari. He says the absence of school sport means that the current athletes who are being celebrated across the country will not be easily replaced.
“Tebogo and others are products of school sport, hence the need of school sport to feed and replace them as time goes on. If it is not going to be brought back immediately, we are headed for a disaster,” he warns.
As the base of grassroots sports development, the belief is that school sport plays a major role in creating a pool of potential athletes who can be nurtured to compete on the international arena.
The BOSETU secretary general says as trade unions, they are not against school sport. All they want is for their members to be compensated for extra work they do in nurturing talent. “While teachers are not recognised in the achievement, they play a pivotal role in nurturing talent and in their success,” he said.
In one of his recent interviews, Tebogo advocated for school sport to return. To this extent, Rari says the trade unions have been engaging the ministry responsible for sport on the way forward and they are yet to find common ground. He said the ministry of sport has sent proposals and counter proposals but to no avail.
Rari says they have proposed P1 500.00 monthly compensation for teachers who are engaged in sport. “Our members can no longer be exploited and work for nothing,” says Rari.
The government at one point had proposed coaches from out school to be engaged and drill the kids in sport which is against the unions’ stance. The union believes teachers are co-parents and are better placed to take care of students both in class and during sports activities. There is general belief that school sport is the only way for Botswana athletes to bring glory from international competitions.
