The Jamaican government has unveiled plans to provide targeted support to schools participating in the annual ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships. Through the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), the initiative aims to enhance athletic infrastructure and address nutritional needs, creating a more solid foundation for student-athletes.
Speaking on the plans, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, Olivia Grange, revealed that 14 schools have been identified for support, with at least 10 slated to benefit in the next budget year. “We have identified 14 schools, of which a minimum of 10 will be done next year. If budget allocation allows, all 14 will be done,” Minister Grange told Sportsmax.TV.
The initiative seeks to address two critical areas for student-athletes: the development of athletic facilities and improved access to nutrition.
“Through the Sports Development Foundation, we will be identifying 10 schools in our next budget year for special attention to give support for their participation in the Boys and Girls Championships, and also to create a stronger foundation for the next generation of athletes,” Minister Grange explained.
“We are speaking about further infrastructure development and also support for nutrition because we know that many types of athletes; they go to school, maybe they didn’t have a good breakfast, and throughout their training, they need support that will equip them and make them stronger both emotionally and physically to train and to do their best.”
The program’s beneficiaries are schools facing infrastructural or socio-economic challenges. The 10 schools selected include Tacky High, Papine High, Port Antonio High, Herbert Morrison Technical High, Rhodes Hall High, St Catherine High, Muschett High, Clarendon College, Alphansus Davis and Lacovia High.
The government is prioritizing schools with the greatest need while aiming to reach as many as possible within the allocated budget.
The ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships have long been a cornerstone of Jamaica’s track and field dominance, serving as the launch pad for global icons like Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. By focusing on infrastructure and nutrition, this initiative seeks to ensure that future generations of athletes are equipped to uphold the country’s athletic legacy.
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