School receives sporting boost from Lotto
SPORT at Lukhanji Primary School has received a welcome boost with funding of R300 000 from Lotto for sport equipment and the upgrading of soccer and rugby fields.
Deputy sport organiser and teacher Mncedisi Bilose said, as a member of the rugby sub-union, he had heard about the Lotto funding for schools and had submitted a form to principal Lungile Mpotulo.
The school made an application in 2012 and 2013 but did not receive a response.
“We then asked (Chris Hani sports council chairman) Phumelele Hlati to help us in 2015 and that is when we were called and informed we would be one of the schools that would benefit,” Bilose said.
He said the funding was a morale booster for the pupils.
“We have a lot of sporting codes as we have over 1 200 pupils.”
Bilose said participation in sport took the pupils away from bad habits such as crime and drugs.
“As you know pupils do not have the same talents, some of them are not good academically and they may choose sport as a career. This goes a long way towards realising that dream.”
Hlati said the school received R50 000 for kit and R250 000 for the upgrading of the fields for soccer and rugby.
The school also received kit for volley ball, soccer, rugby and netball.
“This funding for schools helps a lot as some schools use kit bought about 15 years ago when schools still charged fees. There is no budget for extramural activities at schools and no fee schools struggle a lot.”