Following the Abuja Congress, Nigeria, September / October 2003
the following set of actions, recommendations, strategic intent
and a declaration for the way forward was approved.
Regarding the association:
It was agreed that:
- actions designed to mobilize and build human capacity with and
through the membership of this association and stakeholders in Africa
are necessary;
- actions taken to ensure growth of the profession, placing emphasis
on the unique contribution of the profession in the lives of African
citizens are designed.
Strategic formulations required to achieve the
above actions are:
- to build in accreditation requirements to the
qualification of the professional (including specialisations such
as Physical Education, Sport Science, Biokinetics / Physical Therapy,
Leisure Science) and thereby control the legitimate activities which
fall within this domain of practice and service to the community.
- to facilitate access to information so that continued
professional growth through research, discourse and credit-bearing
education opportunities is available.
The strategic intent is to build a strong association of professional
affiliates who together shape the direction of the association,
cooperate on matters relating to the scope of practice and collaborate
together to enrich the development of the profession on this continent.
Recommandations from the conference:
The following recommendations were made:
- Expand access to the field of study and urgently
build the human capacity of qualified service providers across Africa.
- Preserve and own the core unique generic roots
of the field of study but, and where necessary, re-defining and
re-configure the uniqueness of appropriate profession theory to
meet the new and specialized demands placed on professionals in
this field.
- Establish accreditation for the specialized branches
of the field so that services delivered are by approved trained
and qualified persons.
- Critically examine the education requirements
for coaches in particular and systematically empower role-players
with adequate coach education so that immoral assignments of coaching
duties are no longer made.
- Continue to work with the Supreme Council for
Sport in Africa (SCSA) and the Organising Committee for the All
Africa Games (COJA) to ensure support and prominence of the Association
in the protocol, plans and actions for future All Africa Games (AAG).
- Seize the opportunity when Africa’s elite
athletes, administrators and support services officials gather every
four years at the All Africa Games to expand the existing research
initiative (mostly anthropometric and psycho-social orientated at
this point) as well as deliver services and accredited training
courses to athletes, coaches, managers, academics, and sport practitioners.
- Engage aggressively in ongoing curricular debate
with education control councils across the continent to ensure the
adequate provision of Sport and Physical Activity for all.
- Continue to negotiate global support for the Association
and deliberately position the Association in forums where our efforts
and strategic intentions will find support and assistance.
- Commence planning for the Association’s
biennial congress now for 2005.
- Produce a special “Congress 2003”
edition of the Association’s Journal.
- Encourage colleagues in every way!
The strategic intent is to build human capacity. With each new
qualified professional another candle is being lit, one by one.
In this way the impact of each of these bright lights will together
lead this continent out of the “perceived” darkness
as it relates to Sport Science, Exercise Science, Physical Education,
Biokinetics / Physical Therapy, Health Education and Leisure Science.
Start today to light up Africa!
Accordingly, conference delegates recommended that we need to:
Focus on our unequivocal support for the delivery of best practice
so that all citizens of this continent enjoy the benefits of active
living for life.
Conference Declaration:
In the light of the above and following participation in the debates,
we the participants:
Recognise that physical
education and sports education is under serious threat and are deeply
concerned to note that as its space in the curricula across the continent
continues to decline that its fundamental purpose (health enhancement,
as a primary basis of life long physical activity engagement and its
unique delivery of programmes of motor skill development) will
systematically and progressively compromise the health status of the
continents human capital.
Insist that access to sufficient
quality physical education programmes is a fundamental human right
and therefore call upon all governments across the continent to recognise
their collective responsibility towards the provision of sustained,
quality-controlled programmes with clear minimum standards to
ensure the adequate delivery of physical activity for all citizens
on the continent but especially for all school-going youth.
Specifically call upon
all African governments, namely the Ministers of Education, Health,
Youth and Sport with specific responsibility for the implementation
of quality physical education programmes in voluntary, public and
private sectors to establish and to strengthen support of
our profession and value their efforts to design and implement programmes
for all citizens.
Urge all governments,
agencies, (national and international) and non-governmental organisations
involved in education and human capacity building to take corrective
action to reverse the declining trend and to promote participation
in physical activity programmes.
Accordingly, the following strategic intentions are highlighted:
- As schools are a prime institutional agency with
considerable potential to significantly influence the lives of a
community (especially young people) and recognising that physical
education and sport can play a vital role in shaping positive attitudes
towards habitual physical activity from foundation to excellence
levels, then influence, regarding:
- Sufficient exposure and participation in Physical
Education and Sport programmes;
- Opportunities for the advancement of high achievers;
- Human resources training;
- Resource network with all community
partners, and
- Community outreach programs emanating
from the school is necessary.
- Implement media communication initiatives involving
use of local and national level public relations exercises. These
should focus on physical activity participation initiatives which
use multiple channels to disseminate information related
to the current problems and strategies for change.
- Promote multidisciplinary involvement of / from
various health, sport, physical education and recreation organisations
within the community to embrace partnerships of vested interest
groups from the full range of social institutions.
- Empowerment of regional, national and Pan African
professional associations in collaboration with relevant government
departments to facilitate and implement measures in the
promotional development of physical education and community sport.
- Ensure and support representation of professionals
within the Association.
- Lobby for clear government statements of policy
to foster inclusion in all aspects of Physical Education,
Sport, and Recreation provision and delivery.
- Promote and secure support for planned research
initiatives designed to foster the common goals of Physical
Education, Recreation and Sport in Africa.
- Secure funding for co-ordinated projects to
increase our understanding of the current size and scope of programmes,
services, structures and policies related to physical activity in
Africa. With clarity on the status quo, then priorities
for development and delivery of training and services will be indicated.
- Register professionals and introduce accreditation,
minimum standards and continuing education systems so that quality
assurance and specialist directions from the core profession can
systematically emerge.
- Obtain the endorsement of the Supreme Council
for Sport in Africa (SCSA) for the preceding statements so
that purposeful efforts to obtain dedicated annual grants by Governments,
corporates and / or other relevant sources may be secured for the
AFAHPER.S-D so that these strategic initiatives can be implemented
This declaration was supported and endorsed by
delegates attending the All Africa Pre-Games Scientific Congress,
Abuja, Nigeria, September 30th -2nd October 2003.
Signed
Accepted by |
|
(on behalf of AFAHPER-S.D.)
(on behalf of AFAHPER-S.D.) |
(Prepared and presented by Dr Claire M Nicholson on behalf of the
Association.)
AFAHPER-S.D. Strategy Formulations
“Starting today, light up Africa”