‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’

Hasheem Thabeet is a Tanzanian professional basketball player who played for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the US. Thabeet began to play basketball at the age of 15, when he was a student at Makongo Secondary School in Dar es Salaam.

The story of how Hasheem started playing basketball is somehow interesting. It is said that he was not really interested in basketball despite his great height. However, he got started one day when he attended a street basketball session. Some players were amazed by his height and one of them offered Hasheem some sports gear and invited him to “come and play”. He showed up the next day at the basketball court and that was the beginning of his career.

Thabeet was the first Tanzanian player to feature in NBA league. His talent was nurtured in Makongo Secondary School, which was headed by Mr Idd Kipingu by then, who had so much interest in sports to the extent that he was scouting for talented youth from various schools during sports competitions. Not only Hasheem passed through Makongo but other famous players such as Juma Kaseja and Thomas Ulimwengu as well.

Apart from Makongo Secondary School, Ally Hassan Mwinyi Elite Schools (Ahmes) and Firbert Bayi are also some of the schools, which have included sports in their curriculum.

According to Ahmes director, Sem Mjema, physical education and sports have positive educational impact on students, including shaping student’s skills, academic performance and educational potential.

“Sports show the positive relationship between being involved in physical activities and psychosocial development. It is said to be the basic of early development of children and youth and the skills learned during play, physical education and sports contribute to the development of young people,” Mr Mjema said.

He says one of the students who was involved in sports and managed to excel well in class was Rahim Kasim, who is now studying at Mzumbe University. “In 2003, he was the best student at Ahmes, we awarded him during their Form Six graduation ceremony,” added Mr Mjema.

In 2004, the then Minister for Education, Mr Joseph Mungai announced that some subjects especially business studies will no longer be taught in secondary schools. He further, scrapped off sports activities and competitions in schools attracting countrywide outcry.

Later on, in 2005, Ms Margaret Sitta, became the Minister for Education and Vocational Training, and she reinstated the old curriculum. The Minister defended her position saying it was necessary to reinstate the former curriculum after realizing that the 2004 changes reduced a number of subjects in secondary schools after elimination of studies in vocational, business, agriculture, home economics and sports activities.

Success speaks to some teachers, students and sports experts about the importance of sports in school.

Mr Mathew Levi Alex, the Principal at Royal Elite School, says that a child’s life is never complete without sports. Whether a child is in government school or private school does not really matter. What parents, teachers and the society at large need to understand is that children need to be actively involved in sports. As the saying goes, “All work without play makes Jack a dull boy’’.

“As a matter of fact, there are several reasons as to why children need to be involved in sports activities. For instance, sports play a big role in the brain development of a child. Children who engage actively in sports also become physically fit,” he says.

Ms Stella Ijumba from Mbuyuni Primary School says that school going children need to participate in sports activities for brain development. “In order for a child to do better in his studies, he has to participate in sports. Through participation in sport and physical education, young people learn about the importance of key values like teamwork, fair play, respect for themselves, honesty and adherence to rules,” she says.

She adds that sports improve performance of children and young people, encourages school attendance and a desire to succeed academically.

She said that they have sports competitions once in a while because the syllabus is tight.

“It is very difficult to teach children without sports as it provides a forum for young people to learn how to deal with competition and how to cope with both winning and losing,” she added.

According to Mr Alex, schools sports help to break the monotony of long lecture hours in classrooms and motivate pupils/students to continue with learning thereafter. This motivates some pupils to enjoy going to school. Sports also give children room to interact and exchange ideas thus improving their social skills.

“As they play some games like football, netball, volleyball, tennis, table-tennis and many more, they learn to be creative, brave and confident in what they do. Teachers should motivate children to participate in sports and equally give them opportunities to explore their God given gifts,” he said.

They should guide them professionally into choosing games/sports that they are gifted in and so nature them into perfection. Children should also be advised that sports can determine their future career in life.

Mr Alex said schools need to take an active role in promoting sports in children’s life. Because children spend most of their time in schools. In a nutshell, sports help in promoting discipline in schools as children don’t get time to engage in other irresponsible activities during recess.

The School Director at Ally Hassan Mwinyi Elite Schools (Ahames) Mr Sem Mjema said that a child grows into three stages, brain, body and spiritual which means increasing in your knowledge and understanding of God’s Word, . If she/he happens to miss one of the stages that mean the child will lack something in his/her life. Sports make children to be physically active and of course sharply thinking. Above all sports is business/employment.

“At our school we real encourage children to participate into sports activities, because children who are engaged in sports can be good role models for their peers from school, neighborhood etc and inspire other children to start playing some sports as well” noted the School director.

Not only children need sports even parents need playing participating sports, because it enables them to create friendships and sports bring people together from all over the world, regardless of their nationality, religion, culture, or skin colour.

According to Chang’ombe Primary School teacher Pilly Omary said that sports is important because it creates teamwork and benefits of social interaction among children. This helps them to understand that, they are part of the team that requires the same effort from all members to succeed, also they learn on how to win and lose with dignity.

“Schools need to take an active role in promoting sports in children’s life. This is because children spend most of their time in schools. In a nutshell, sports help in promoting discipline in schools as children don’t get time to engage in other irresponsible activities during recess. Sport is an important learning process for children. Various studies have shown that children who engage in sports perform better at school,” said the class five teacher.

Tatu Juma, 12, a pupil from Tumaini Primary School in Tabata said sports makes them enjoy learning.

The Regional Administration and Local Government Sports Coordinator, Laurence Madege said children benefit mentally and physically from sports. The importance of sports in both schools includes more than just the benefit of physical activity. It increases self-esteem and mental awareness.

“Sports enables students and pupils to earn better grades, it also helps in maintaining healthy weight, preventing lifestyle diseases and learning the skills necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle after graduating,” he points out.

The former Tanzania Football Federation General Secretary (TFF), Angetile Osiah says that sports is important for children because it has rules and regulations. Children learn to observe rules and regulation in their lives. Sports build discipline as children learn to respect rules, regulation and orders from referees.

“Student who participates in sports performs better than others. Sports build self esteem, team work, acceptance to defeat as challenge, competing spirit, discipline obedience to rules and regulation, good health and respect. Participation in sports activities raise self esteem to children and of course confidence” he noted.

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