A capacity building / train-the-trainer programme conducted by FIFA Football for Schools (F4S), in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Education, All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Sports Authority of India (SAI), concluded here at the SAI NSSC campus on Friday.
It was part of a three-leg affair held across Sambalpur, Pune and Bengaluru, where 300 coach educators representing CBSE, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, AIFF and SAI from across India were trained.
The FIFA F4S programme is co-run with UNESCO, with the aim of contributing to the education, development and empowerment of around 700 million children aged 4 to 14.
“We run a lot of youth, senior and elite football programmes, but there was no connection to schools,” said Fatimata Sow Sidibe, the Global Director of FIFA F4S. “These children have a lot of talent and the project will help us identify that.”
Football equipment and a one-off payment of $50,000 will be given to each member association (country). An online learning platform and a newly developed digital app, which has content for training sessions will also be made available.
“The aim is to not just help children excel in football, but to ensure football can act as a vehicle for learning life skills and make them strong mentally and emotionally,” said Amlan Kamal, the India consultant for FIFA F4S.
“The life skills teaching a child gets through a Football for Schools session in India is the same as in Rwanda or Lebanon or Qatar or Australia! It’s one educational curriculum that transcends all boundaries, uniting the world,” he added.
