18 Sep 2022

Sport can equip people with skills that can enhance their employability and  societal cohesion, says Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Tumiso Rakgare.

Speaking at University of Botswana (UB) sports development meet and marathon launch on Thursday, Rakgare said research had shown that sport could be used to generate income at both household and national levels as well as unite people from different walks of life.

He said UB was well-resourced to offer sport science programmes.

‘The Sports Development Programme we are launching here today comes at a time when the country looks to intensifying its global competitiveness,” he added.

The minister urged the university to provide leadership and expertise as well as the science behind sports development by designing effective talent identification development programmes.

Rakgare said one of the problems hampering sport development was lack of capacity, especially technical personnel and administrators.

“I am happy to note that the University of Botswana has trained experts, who serve sports in many capacities including physical education, coaching, sport managers and physical trainers for our national teams,” he said.

He said physical education teachers, who graduated from the university, were some of the key anchors of grassroots development.

The minister urged the university to take a leading role in research, adding research and data management would not only be able to make a case for sport, but also ensure informed actions and decisions.

He called on UB to also strive to be a hub of elite athlete development and contribute large numbers of athletes to national teams.

He said the advantage of the university was that it could provide athletes with the seemingly elusive balance between school and sport.

“We would, therefore, suggest that the university consider providing for graduate and undergraduate students across the university and most profoundly in the

Department of Sport Science, to earn credits from tutoring and supporting athletes,” the minister said.

Such students, Rakgare said, should be deployed across teams for internship and on the job experience.

“This is important for two reasons; firstly university students working with teams bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Secondly, such would be a great exposure and experience for your students and great service to sports,” he said.

Acting  UB vice chancellor, Motsei Rapelana, said one of UB’s strategic goals was to create and deliver quality applied research and innovation.

“I can confidently say overall we continue to play our part as a national source of knowledge and expertise, thereby contributing to the national development agenda,” she said.

Rapelana said the sport fraternity continued to benefit from the institution’s expertise and infrastructure. ENDS