Gauteng Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation and Gauteng Department of Education introduce schools Wednesday Integrated Programme

Show Voice Options THE Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Education have introduced a new indicator, the schools Wednesday Integrated Programme (WIP) for Sports, Arts and Culture, affectionately referred to as the “Wednesday League”. The Central Corridor instalment of the Schools Wednesday Integrated Programme Launch took place on Tuesday last week at the Moletsane Sports Complex in Soweto. The programme consisted of several exciting activities and entertainment such as a live band and a special performance by Yanga Chief as well as a special guest appearance from Lebo “Shugasmakx” Mothibe, best known as the co-founder and star of iconic hip-hop brand Skwatta Kamp. The event was also graced by some of South Africa’s renowned legends such as Kaizer Chiefs attacking mid-fielder Lebogang Manyama, Ramehlwe Mphahlela, Kaizer Chiefs Defender, Manti Moholo, former Orlando Pirates player as well as Siboniso Pa Gaxa, former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs Defender, the presence of these amazing soccer stars served as great inspiration for the students who look up to them. The programme kicks off with an inclusion of arts and culture activities simultaneously implemented in schools and is aimed at establishing a vibrant hype of activities in form of school leagues and festivals championed from all the no-fee-paying schools across the Gauteng province. The programme will be implemented in 1270 no-fee paying schools in the Gauteng province during the Mid-term period. 381 schools have already benefitted in the initial stages of the programme and 410 schools will be supported in the 2022/23 financial year. The Arts and Culture unit also has schools that are supported under this programme. The department said it intends to host an integrated launch at a Provincial scale with subsequent Wednesday League Launch Corridor Roadshows which will kick-start the awareness for the Netball World Cup that will be hosted in South Africa in 2023. This will also assist the department in rolling out the integrated Sport and Arts and Culture programmes in schools during the 2022/2023 FY and beyond.