The Lagos State government has boosted school sports with donation of sports equipment to the six education districts while also tasking heads of schools to encourage participation in sports among the students to ensure holistic education in line with the THEME agenda of the government.
The government through the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSSTF) has donated sports equipment to the 644 schools to encourage sporting activities across the state.
Speaking at the presentation of the sports equipment by LSSTF to the six educational division in the state, the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Femi Hamzat, said the government believes in holistic education system, adding that the gesture was a bold statement in line with the THEME agenda of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
The Deputy Governor who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Mojisola Daba said the gesture was aimed at restoring the glory of the state as the leading state in sports administration.
“I urge all tutor generals/permanent secretaries, principals and staff of all public schools in the six education districts to ensure the appropriate use of the distributed sports equipment to achieve the desired effect to the glory of Lagos State,” she said.
For the Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) Sola Aiyepeku, the LSSTF was set up in 2017 to raise fund through public and private donations for the development of sporting activities and facilities in the state, adding that LSSTF has been creating and uniting opportunities capable of diverting the attention of the youths from crimes to focusing on the development of school sports.
“Research has shown that Youth Engagement in Sports help them improve their social interaction, increase their confidence, improve their listening skills and health. Participation in Sports is linked to higher grades, low dropout rates, reduced truancy and decreased crime rates,” he said.
At present, LSSTF is constructing an Olympic-sized swimming pool, warm up/training pool equipped with a 500-seater spectator stand at Rowe Park while in two months, the project would be delivered.
The Executive Secretary of LSSTF, Olaposi Agunbiade, advised the students to shun vices that can mar their future.
He however, informed the students that the Sports Trust Fund is desirous of constructing state of the art sports centres in each of the Six Education Districts before the end of the year.
He therefore enjoined Lagosian and the Private Sector to support the Sports Trust Fund in other to reduce youths restiveness in the society.
Also, the indoor hall of the Mobolaji Johnson Indoor Sports Hall, as well as all five outdoor sports courts in Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba are currently undergoing complete rehabilitation, geared towards diverting the attention of the youth from negative vices and grooming as well as developing future champions.
Table tennis boards, spike, jerseys, balls, volleyball, relay batons, chess boards, scrabble equipment, as well as first aid boxes were among the equipment distributed to the schools.
