The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education hailed its partnership with Betterbrands, saying it is opening new avenues for talent identification and development in schools.
Permanent Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Moses Mhike said the partnership has already seen the launch of an inaugural national school soccer tournament, with all ten provinces taking part at both primary and secondary levels.
He was speaking at the ongoing Betterbrands NAPH-NASH Challenge Cup with ends tomorrow, with Allan Wilson and Rusununguko battling in the final of the under-20 boys at Prince Edward.
Mhike said the tournament is providing a platform to identify talent from across the country, including players from rural areas who may otherwise struggle to attract the attention of scouts.
“If you remember, in the beginning of the year, at the end of last year, we signed a partnership or a memorandum of understanding with Betterbrands.
“And you know, Betterbrands are the owners of Scottland FC, and I think as a ministry, we were really very, very happy when we entered into this partnership.
“Because one of the things that this partnership is going to be doing is grassroots identification and talent nurturing, and specifically for soccer, football, and I think as a ministry we are now very, very happy.
“This is our inaugural, I think, tournament, and we have got all ten provinces represented
presented here in each province with two teams, both for primary and secondary education.
“You know, for sport development to be able to happen in Zimbabwe, you have got to start where it all begins. This is at both primary and secondary level, and I hope as a ministry we are
going to be playing our role with this kind of support from Honourable Sakupanya. We know we are going to be identifying quite a lot of talent that can then be able to fit into our national teams, be it the under under 17 under 18 or the under-20s.
“We hope, I think, this has also opened up, you know, talent for those kids in the rural areas that didn’t at times get the opportunity for them to be identified, and so as a ministry we hope we are going to be a feeder into the national teams, and we also hope ZIFA will also be around so that they can then be able to identify,” he said.
Mhike further said, in Zimbabwe there is more talent.
“We got very good talent, and we are so grateful, and we hope and wish that we will continue to have a very sustained and good relationship with Betterbrands, Scotland FC.
“And I was just talking to colleagues from Scottland, they were telling me already, PS, we have identified about nine or so, ten very good players that they are going to be integrating in their own academy.
“And I think this is what we want, and I know there are also quite a number of other clubs that are also here that could also be scouting talent.
“But I think as we move into 2027, you remember when we signed our own agreement with Zifa, we made a commitment that we are going to be playing soccer throughout the year.
“Yes, here and there we will have difficulties, maybe because of our infrastructure during the rainy season, but I think we will really want to continue and abide by that kind of agreement that we have signed.”
He also hailed Scott Sakupwanya for the sponsorship.
“I am really very grateful to Sakupwanya for coming on board for showing his passion in terms of sports, soccer in particular.
“As a ministry, we would really want to give them more, you know, mileage, and we are going to be having a much better and a bit more funded soccer tournament next year and I hope as we sit and watch the games that are going to be unfolding, and for your information, we are going to be completing the games this Wednesday.
“As we close, we would also want to have had a select team from both the NAPH-NASH so that they can also be able to play with the SCOTLAND FC ACADEMY just to cement, you know the whole partnership, and then we go back to the drawing board and then start for 2027.
“But for me, I think as a ministry we are really very happy that we are going to be playing
our role of talent identification, talent nurturing so that we fit into our national teams, and we are already looking for future soccer players.
“To me, this is more exciting, and we would really want to thank Betterbrands for coming on board to sponsor school soccer.
“This sponsorship has brought a lot of ease in terms of management and in terms of talent identification because you would understand as a ministry, we didn’t have any dedicated line item for sponsoring soccer in our schools.
“I would really want to thank our parents because they have been the ones that have been sponsoring, in fact, all our sporting activities in our schools and coming on board of such a
brand to me would then give impetus to sport development.
“I hope if we can then be able to get more in other sports courts; you talk of rugby, you talk of tennis, you talk of swimming.
“We need more and more of what has generally been done by Betterbrands because it will make talent identification and nurturing very easy because the resources will be available.
“And one of the things that we also really want to thank Betterbrands
is the way I think they have supported, including looking after the players.”
