Linda Diedericks

Changes in the South African policy environment in 1998 such as the introduction of the outcomes-based education system and later Curriculum 2005 had a negative effect on physical education as a stand-alone subject offered to learners at schools. As a result of the policy change physical education became an outcome area and not a learning area, marginalizing physical education at primary schools at a policy formulation level. The benefits of physical activity for learners at schools includes health related benefits such as weight management, social, psychological, and emotional as well as promoting healthy lifestyles.
The communities of Kensington, Maitland and Facreton are plagued with socio-economic problems such as unemployment, poverty, gangsterism, rampant crime and violence, limited access to proper housing and overcrowding in certain sections which affects the ability of learners at school and youth to reach their full potential.

The Play Sport for Life (PS4L) evaluation was conducted between October 2021 and January 2022 and is a study of the Sports Education Programme outcomes, both medium and short-term covering the period 2014 to 2019. Sport can serve as a great unifier for a nation as we have witnessed when South Africa won the Rugby World Cups in 1995, 2007 and 2019. How can sport, at a grassroots level contribute to social change and how do programmes such as EduSport effect changes on learners at schools? The evaluation of the PS4L EduSport programme reflects on the activities implemented with learners at schools in the Kensington, Factreton and Maitland areas. Clarification of the programme theory underpinning the intervention formed part of the evaluation process. Data was collected by using mixed methods of semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion, and a literature review.
A few of the key findings of the evaluation include the following:
1. The EduSport programme faced several challenges during the implementation of the activities which included the safety and security of learners at some of the schools due to gang violence which erupted unexpectedly. Funding and fundraising were a barrier that prevented the programme from being scaled up. The school environment was not always conducive due to a lack of proper equipment and poor or no infrastructure at some schools. Contextual factors such as the socio-economic challenges in the community affected some learners’ ability to fully participate in the programme due to food insecurity, home challenges and a lack of confidence displayed by some learners.
2. Enabling internal and external factors that assisted with the successful implementation of the programme activities and achievement of the outcomes include:
The quality of the coaches placed at the schools was of a high standard and was partly due to technical skills that the coaches had as well as the training course that they attended through PS4L. The learners’ behaviour was key to the implementation of the activities was found to be an enabling factor. The generosity and contribution of the founding member, Miles October and donations of fuel and sporting equipment to support the programme was mentioned. The contribution of time and skills from the staff, board, educators, intern volunteers were invaluable as well as individual community members that included parents.