BY DAYO ADESULU
Executive Director, Greensprings School, Mrs Lai Koiki has said that schools owners’ approach to education should be the one which incorporates sports into the educational framework.
According to her, incorporating sports into students’ educational framework would make them play big in both academics and sports investment.
”The primary focus of schooling in many cases is academics, which certainly is an important aspect of building a student’s career and life, but in Greensprings School, we do not fail to recognise the importance of sports,” says Lai Koiki.
Speaking at the 2022 Sports day which took place at Greensprings School, Lekki campus, Lagos State. Koiki said sports instils many important life lessons such as discipline, focus, dedication, hard work, commitment, perseverance, teamwork and other values such as honesty and responsibility.
At the end of the sporting competition which witness spectacular displays of track and field, March past, relay races, and other events, Enahoro House emerged the overall winner; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa House, emerged the first runner up, while Queen Amina House emerged 2nd runner up.
She pointed out that students that embrace sports early are agile and fit thereby improving the cognitive and memory functions of the brain while helping them perform better in their studies.
Koiki further said that period of the Covid-19 pandemic was a challenging period as it disrupted the schools’ co-curricular events, adding that while the school managed to maintain excellence in its academic programme, athletics and other sporting programmes suffered during the pandemic.
On his part, Dotun Coker, chairman, of the technical committee, Lagos State Football Association, who was the special guest at the event, said it is important to invest in sporting events because of the important role that physical education plays in the psychological and physiological development of children.
Coker said the present administration in Lagos State is dedicated to developing sporting talents in this key area to help the states in several competitions.
Meanwhile, Feyisara Ojugo, Greensprings School’s head of school said programmes like the sports day and other opportunities for sporting activities provided at the school enable the wholesome development of the students
Ojugo said: “Sports are so much more than physical activity for children. They play an important role in their overall growth and development. Taking part in sports is beneficial for a child’s mental and physical well-being.”
She added that developing good sportsmanship means growing better self-esteem, improved leadership skills, stronger relationships, better communication and time management skills
Ojugo urged the winning team to keep practising and continue to do better and they should know that nobody wins all the time.
