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Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
MATABELELAND North has selected teams that will represent the province in the 2022 National Association of Primary School Heads (Naph) inter-provincial ball games.

The national finals are set for next week and will be hosted by Bulawayo.

Matabeleland North held the provincial finals in Bubi District at Loziba Primary School grounds.

Each of the province’s seven districts, Binga, Bubi, Hwange, Lupane, Nkayi, Tsholotsho and Umguza were represented by a team in football, netball, basketball and volleyball.

basketball

By virtue of being hosts, Bubi fielded two teams in each sport code, bringing to eight teams that participated in each discipline.

Besides ball games, there was a quiz competition conducted by a private stakeholder, Music Consultancy Society, to raise awareness about visual performing arts activities among primary school pupils and Kusile Primary of Lupane district emerged winners.

In netball, the two teams from Bubi, Mbembeswana 1 Primary School and Emhlabathini Primary School clashed in the final which was won by Mbembeswana 1 (9-8).

Hauke Primary School of Bubi will represent the province in volleyball after beating Chipale of Binga 9-5.

Hwange District will have Makwika Primary School and Baobab Primary School represent the province in soccer and basketball, respectively.

Sport and art constitute part of the new competence-based learning curriculum.

Naph Matabeleland North provincial secretary Nelson Nhlalo Masukume said the games went on well despite a few challenges as some schools had brought incomplete teams.

Government recently allowed schools to resume sporting activities after a long Covid-19 break.

Covid-19

“We finished well and we have come up with teams that will represent the province at the inter-provincial competitions in Bulawayo,” he said.

District Development Fund coordinator for Matabeleland North, Vusisizwe Ncube, who was guest of honour, said the theme for this year’s Naph competitions: “in pursuit of education and sporting excellence on exit profiles under the new normal” fits well with the need for pupils to excel in sports and academics.

He challenged young people to take sport as a skill not just a part time hobby.

— @ncubeleon