The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF) to promote academics using schools sports.
According to the parties, the partnership is aimed at developing student-athletes, who will become future sports heroes.
Speaking after signing the MoU in Abuja, RSDF President, Paul Edeh, said the agreement spells out practical steps towards achieving and sustaining FCT’s school sports programme with measurable, realistic and time frame.
Edeh said: “The importance of sports development in schools across Nigeria cannot be overemphasised. This is because the best place to catch and groom young stars early is through regular sports activities in the school system.
“RSDF is a result-oriented sports development organisation dedicated to solving sports issues through innovative programmes by forming connections between people, resources and ideas and we believe that this collaboration will build students’ enthusiasm towards sports and help them perform better academically.
“History is being made as this would be the first time that a programme of this kind is conceptualised to host a schools festival with the private sector for an initial period of five years, which will guarantee sustainability and consistency of the programmes.”
In his remarks, Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Dr. Olusola Olasade, commended RSDF for promoting grassroots sport activities in the FCT.
Also speaking on the MOU, FCTA’s Secretary for Education, Mallam Sani El-Katuzu, said the relationship would not have come at a better time, adding that it will fast track the ministry’s policy on sports and physical education.
“This partnership will bridge the sporting gap among our students, the society and the world at large. Government cannot fund sports alone; we need more private sector funding in school sports development and management.
“Sports has an important role in achieving health targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and particularly, the goal of increasing physical activity by 15 per cent over the next decade,” he said.
