FILE PHOTO : St. Joseph’s College schools rugby. FB page
By Staff Writer
The lack of a proper balance in the physical and mental upbringing of a child can do more harm than good to their productive value in the future.
This is the serious worry behind strong objections by the Lakapi Samoa Chairman, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, to the aftermath of playing bans on several schools from recent rugby violence.
“Sports is the key to the physical and mental developments of young people to contribute fully to a better future,” Tuilaepa underlined yesterday in his weekly Thursday media conference.
Tuilaepa puts full blame on the teachers for inciting the recent fighting and rioting that led to the ban, rather than students and supporters.
Schools rugby powerhouse, St. Joseph’s College, slapped with a 4-year suspension, is one of several schools crossed off the playing list from the violence.
“Schools rugby fights happen all the time and as it has been the case in the past, teachers are usually the ones to blame,” Tuilaepa accused.
He pointedly signaled out a St. Joseph’s College teacher for sparking the violence at the end of a national championship match the school lost, by stirring up the students and the supporters.
“There are no bad students just bad teachers who pushed everyone beyond the spirit of good sportsmanship.
“I call on the St. Joseph’s College brothers to look into the involvement of this particular teacher and his future in the school.”
Tuilaepa is quite keen to have the Minister of Sports and the schools rugby body take a more closer look into the events that led to the playing ban.
He strongly urges re-consideration of the ban on schools to avoid any far reaching harms on the students future development growth.