School sport should not be a political weapon

Mqondisi Dube | Wednesday August 6, 2025 09:14

The previous Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) regime tried in vain to revive school sport, which came to a screeching halt in 2019. Several attempts were made to breathe life into a project whose significance and importance on the sports calendar cannot be overemphasised. The process has pitted politicians against unions, which have been fighting in the corner of teachers. The result has been a slow, painful process that has had a ripple effect on school sport, the cradle of sport development. What the 2019 development meant is that the talent conveyor belt had been severely disrupted, and the country had to rely on the raw power and gift of its budding sportspersons. Almost all athletes who have climbed the ladder of success have been a product of school sport. But the teachers felt they were getting a raw deal, hence the stalemate that gave birth to the infamous decision to hit the brakes on the program.

There has been a lot of back and forth, including how authorities could reinvent the school sports wheel. Some proposals bordered on the complete dismantling of the previous set-up, with qualified coaches given the mandate to run the school programs. Unions have dug in, and today, in Lobatse, President Duma Boko will score a significant political victory when he launches the new school sport program. The round of applause and all the praise will now be reserved for the UDC-led government, after BDP previously failed to deal decisively with the issue. Five years of unending negotiations will make the current administration a hero in the eyes of learners, teachers, and the unions.

However, a line must be drawn to ensure school sport is not used as a political ball. Once that is allowed it will cloud the noble intention that is talent development. What is needed is a durable solution, where we are not going to see the bickering return at the expense of poor children, who are the grass in the elephant fight. Botswana has a good track record of producing talented youngsters, be it in athletics, tennis, or karate. So let this not be disturbed by grown-up men and women failing to reach an amicable solution for over five years. The President's message in Lobatse will be keenly followed by all who have a vested interest in school sport. He needs to give a clear direction and assurance that the five-year gap is a thing of the past. The impact of the lengthy hiatus might be felt in years to come when the country experiences a talent airlock.