Sporting prowess can earn children bursaries, says Ruele
Alex Youth Swim Academy founder Lawrence Ruele says a learner’s sporting prowess can also open doors for study bursaries.
Afrika Tikkun’s Thomas Taole said the biggest challenge faced by the Alex Youth Swim Academy to get the township’s children water-wise was the lack of parental support for the programme.
Taole was speaking in an interview with Alex News during a showcase of the progress being made by Lawrence Ruele’s academy. The academy is teaching swimming skills to the children of Alexandra at King David High School Linksfield.
Taole said the children were transported to the venue every weekend and the academy was noticing high incidents of absenteeism which did not auger well for the programme.
“We need more support from the parents by coming to the venue to witness their children take their steps to become swim masters. If, for some reason, the parents cannot come to the venue with their children, they must ensure the children always come for lessons and never miss a weekend,” he said.
Taole said the swimming programme was quite important for the children as it gives them survival skills amid inclement weather patterns that were causing havoc the world over.
His view was echoed by Dikeledi Meso, one of the few parents that came to the event on March 19, who called on parents to take an active role in the programmes and sports that their children were involved in.
“I would like to see more and more parents coming to the swimming lessons to see for themselves the progress being made by their children and also urge them on. Our children need cheering on when they do something good and encouragement when they are not so perfect,” Meso added.
In his words of encouragement for parents to join their children in the programme, Ruele pointed out that learners could be offered bursaries by other schools on the strength of their sporting prowess.
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