Transnet soccer school now dept’s headache

NEW PLAN: INSTEAD OF CLOSING, EDUCATION TURNS IT INTO HIGH SCHOOL

Coaches are not teachers and cannot be considered as such

With only 120 boys, parents fear it may be deemed non-viable – but 800 is target figure.

Transnet and the SA Football Association (Safa) are handing over the School of Excellence football academy to the Gauteng department of education as they struggle to attract sponsors for the upkeep of the private boarding facility.

The Citizen has seen documents detailing the department’s plans, which include turning the soccer academy for 120 boys into an ordinary high school for over 800 boys and girls.

When implemented, it will be the death knell for the academy, respected for producing soccer aces like Steven Pienaar, Bernard

Parker and Dillon Sheppard.

Being absorbed into the public schooling system, sport will become an extra curriculum programme, not its main focus.

The department is set to take over in April.

Spokesperson Steve Mabona said as soon as the independent school was re-registered, it would be aligned to education provisions of public schools.

Parents and staff planned to block the handing over to the education department saying it “doesn’t have the capacity to run the school”.

There are also fears the department will close it down.

In line with the National Schools Act’s norms and standards, schools with less than 150 pupils are considered non-viable and closed – much like the football school’s status at the moment with only 120 boys.

It could be closed in line with the national basic education department’ rationalisation, realignment and merger programme’s norms and standards.

An average high school has over 500 pupils.

Mabona said: “Since the school will be converted from being an independent school, operations will be guided by laws and policies for the public schooling system.

“This entails, among other factors, the employment of the existing staff and how the extra-curricular will be managed. “However, it must be noted that coaches are not teachers and cannot be considered as such. There is no provisioning to cover their employment,” Mabona said.

The admission of pupils will be done in line with the amendments to regulations relating to the admission of pupils to public schools, he added.

Accordingly, the changes will take effect upon registration as a public school and all affected stakeholders have on numerous occasions been informed of the transition, said Motale.

The Safa/Transnet soccer academy was established in 1994 to scout for youngsters from Grade 8 to 12 to study and train at the school in the hope they can be turned into professional soccer players.

Over the years, it produced a string of talented soccer players who played locally and abroad.

Transnet has been the sole sponsor since 1995, paying for the salaries of teachers, coaches, food, security, lights and for the general upkeep of the facility.

After having contributed over R200 million over 25 years, the embattled state-owned enterprise told The Citizen it is ending the sponsorship deal due to lack of finances.