School sport is national priority - minister

After the departments of basic education and of sport, arts and culture held the 2025 National School Sports Championships this month, questions have been raised about progress in strengthening school sport.

- Oratile Mashilo

This is especially a concern in under-resourced schools.

In a written parliamentary reply to a question by MP Nkhensani Bilankulu, Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie confirmed that school sport was a national priority.

"In the mass participation conditional grant, it receives more allocation than any other programme, which is 40% of the total conditional grant allocation," McKenzie said.

For the 2024-25 financial year, school sports received an allocation of R252 million.

A slightly lower R250 million has been set aside for 2025-26.