Mbali Dlamini did not sit back when she noticed that overweight girls in her neighbourhood did not play sport because of low self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence.
With a grant of 5,000 euros (about R83,000), she started the Thick Girls Netball Club in Zola, Soweto, in July to help improve their lives. Members of her club, which caters for grade 5-7 pupils aged 14 and younger, include 20 overweight and five thin girls.
Research into the state of physical education in public schools has found that the subject has a “very low” status in most township schools because parents and teachers emphasise the importance of other subjects, notably maths, science and languages.
The research report was compiled by Prof Cora Burnett of the University of Johannesburg. It showed there was a perception that physical education (PE) had “little value” and that “parents will provide sick notes for children not to participate”.
The study was commissioned by Unicef SA and done at 72 schools. About 400 teachers and 3,200 pupils took part.
The research found that many teachers did not know how to teach PE and would remain in class so pupils could catch up with academic subjects or do homework.
The study found that some teachers gave children a ball and told them to “go and play outside”.
As a contrast, the study found that most former Model C schools regarded PE as a training ground for sporting talent.
Across all schools nationally, physical education does not take place at 9.1% of primary and 13.2% of high schools.
Teachers even recommended that physical education become a standalone subject taught by specialist teachers. Johannesburg-based sports physician Prof Jon Patricios said research showed that children who exercised had better cognitive functions and emotional stability.
16.1 % of girls and 6.1 % of boys aged 15-19 years old are overweight, according to the 2016 South African Demographic and Health Survey
— 16.1%
“Some of the physical benefits, such as bone health in girls, are optimally achieved in the transition from childhood to adolescence — this is a critical time to be exercising,” Patricios said.
He added that the key issue was knowledge and supervision, and should not be blamed on a lack of resources.
“We have wonderful weather in SA, where there is an understanding of exercise options and the benefits of youth exercise. A plan can be made,” he said.
Dlamini, 21, said she invited thickset girls to join her club because she wanted to build their self-esteem.“I was overweight when I was younger so I understand what they are going through. They are so excited to be members of the club,” she said.
She is also employed as a youth sports leader by the NGO Altus Sport to offer coaching for two hours a day to pupils at Zola Primary and Thathani Primary in Soweto.
Nike spokesperson Sarah Cannon said the sportswear company, in partnership with Gurls Talk, an online group created by British fashion model Adwoa Aboah, offered Dlamini the grant to support her in using sport “as a catalyst for change”.
Lerato Dlamini, 12, a grade 6 pupil at Zola Primary, said pupils at her school were excited to take part in PE.
“I am proud of being part of the after school’s sports coaching that is being done by Mbali,” she said.
Ntokozo Letuka, 23, an administrator and sports coach at Zola Primary, said although the school did not have sports facilities, “we improvise”.
But pupils at Lakeview Full Service School in Soweto are not involved in physical activity during PE lessons, said principal Muzamani Bilankulu.
“We don’t have the human resources for that and we don’t have facilities.”
Matakanye Matakanye, general secretary of the National Association of School Governing Bodies, which represents 9,000 governing bodies, said the organisation was unhappy that physical exercise was not being taught at most quintile 1-3 schools.
“Parents are complaining that their children are no longer active in sport.”
Prof Vicki Lambert of the University of Cape Town said there were numerous studies linking physical fitness to better academic performance.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.