The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), in partnership with the DBE, will be hosting the Summer National School Sport Championship (NSSC) from 10 – 12 December 2023.

The NSCC will be taking place at the Wits University in Johannesburg, the Red Sox Bernard Stadium in Kempton Park and the Mandeville Sports Complex in Johannesburg. Sporting codes will include basketball; wheelchair basketball; cricket; gymnastics; rugby; softball; table tennis; and goalball. Indigenous games such as kgati and morabaraba will also be played during the Championship, providing an opportunity for many learners to integrate culture and tradition into the games. 

Mr Bongani Zondi from the DBE’s Sport and Enrichment in Education Directorate, affirmed that the cliché, A healthy mind houses a healthy body, always rings true. As such, the DBE believes that sport can assist pupils in producing better academic results, whilst reducing stress levels. It has been proven that pupils who perform well academically, also do well in sport. Participating in school sports can improve self-esteem and help learners feel better about themselves. The self-confidence children gain from participating in sports and physical education carries over to other areas of their lives, such as academic studies and personal relationships.

“Many adolescents are angry and resort to abusing their peers through bullying. One of the best ways of managing anger and frustration levels, and to keep them in check, is through participation in sports. This also creates an opportunity for learners to enhance camaraderie and social cohesion, whilst engaging in positive competitive behaviour. Overall, sports in the school curriculum help children from a young age in many ways, from developing their social skills by making friends and learning how to deal with conflict and avoiding social ills, to celebrating shared success with others. Team sports provide an opportunity for learners to practice working together towards a common goal, whilst helping them to develop leadership skills. School sport also provides opportunities and platforms for children to develop their talents to reach higher levels of professional achievement. This is an opportunity for young sporting talent to be identified, mentored and coached for them to become future players and ambassadors for local and international teams,” he added.

Many schools have been heeding the call for the observance of sporting Wednesdays, and teachers are again requested to remain committed to observing this day to enhance the physical and mental wellbeing of the South African learner.