All Seychellois kids should learn to swim |24 October 2013
All Seychellois kids should know how to swim, the cabinet of ministers has decided.
For this to happen, all stakeholders have to come onboard and yesterday a first meeting took place at the Oceangate House.
The aim of the meeting was to get all involved with sports education and swimming to work on embellishing the draft policy which will again be presented to the cabinet of ministers.
Present at yesterday’s meeting were Jean Larue, principal policy analyst and chairman of the Physical Education and School Sports (PESS) committee, Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association president Antonio Gopal, National Sports Council (NSC) chief executive Giovanna Rousseau, physical education and co-curriculum support section director Wilfred Adrien, NSC’s director for sports management and development Robert Auguste, NSC’s director for watersports Alain Alcindor, coordinator Priscilla Kinloch, Seychelles Swimming Association (SSA) chairman Kenny Roberts, acting national team coach Paul Fanchette and Spanish swimming coach Felix Tremino Gomez.
“We have come together today to put our minds together so that we can work towards meeting the target put forth,” said Mr Larue.
“For this target to be met we need to look at the policy, work out on the strategies and the ways to implement them,” he added.
At present, children from some state schools, mostly those around Victoria and its environs are following swimming sessions during physical education classes. There is also the school of swimming where children have to pay to learn to swim after school hours.
But the question is: Do we have enough resources to make sure that every Seychellois kid gets the opportunity to learn to swim?
At present, there are two pools at Roche Caïman – 25m and 50m – and another one is about to be built on Praslin.
There is a need to have another pool in south Mahé for children from schools in the west and south to get easy access to practice swimming. There is also a need for more instructors.
“We need everyone on board to prepare the plan. There should be a change in attitude and everyone has to play his/her role to get it off the ground,” said Mr Larue.
SSA chairman Roberts said: “I believe getting all kids to learn to swim will be something great for them, both physically and academically. Practising sport helps develop self-discipline and can develop one’s time-management skills. So I personally encourage parents to enrol their kids not only in swimming but in sports in general.”
Mr Roberts also took the opportunity to thank the Ministry of Education for its support during the recent Sacos-sponsored schools age groups swimming competition.
The policy was prepared by the PESS committee chaired by Mr Larue.
The other 12 members of the committee are Mr Gopal, Mr Adrien, physical education and co-curriculum support section representatives Ronald Wong, Norbert Dogley and Thomas Dodin, physical education instructor Linda Jeanne, Ms Rousseau, Seychelles Athletics Federation chairman Selby Dora, sports journalist Barbara Hoareau, Mr Auguste, basketballer Simone Malbrook and Seychelles Basketball Federation chairperson Sheila Ah-kong.
The main tasks of the committee include setting up the school sports structures, national competitive school sports programmes and the annual planning for school sports programmes.
It also prepares and presents periodical and annual reports to the ministers concerned, as well as advises them on strategies and policy issues.
It monitors, evaluates and reports on the delivery of all PESS strategy, programmes and activities to maximise returns on investment.
The PESS strategy helps develop a better coordinated and monitored school sports system ensuring the development of children and young people in the country.
The PESS forms part of the ongoing revision in the local sports structure and it will ensure that necessary structures are put in place to properly carry out and monitor the delivery of the national school sport programme.
