Education and The 2010 Soccer World Cup

Education around 2010 Soccer World Cup

When anybody mentions South Africa and 2010 the first thought that springs to mind is the Soccer World Cup. How is all the hype going to affect an already troubled education system? I as a teacher am very worried due to the fact that there are several syllabus changes scheduled to be implemented from the start of 2010.

Everybody, especially the children, are going to be focused on the world cup as it is a once in a lifetime occasion and we all want to be part of it. Education authorities have wisely adjusted the school year so that all schoolchildren can enjoy holidays for the duration of the tournament. The excitement and build-up to the tournament will be evident throughout the year and will obviously have an impact on many children’s’ already fragile levels of concentration. Discussions at schools and in the workplace for that matter will increasingly centre on the coming spectacle with schoolwork taking a backseat.

This tournament is rightly the event of the year in South Africa and needs to be embraced by all sectors of the economy including schools. My question is: How well are the education authorities in general and schools in particular prepared for its impact? Teachers can look at the world cup in one of two ways. They can see it as a hindrance and complain about its effect on the quality of the learning that is taking place or they can see it as an opportunity to teach children about the realities of life. There will never be a better opportunity to see Outcomes Based Education in action than to use all aspects of the soccer world cup to teach subject content from this viewpoint.

Most people, whether they are football fans or not, will have an interest in the soccer world cup, whether it be from a football point of view, an economic point of view or simply for the sheer spectacle of the event itself. All teachers should plan the way in which they are to present their subject content to embrace world cup themes. One of the best ways to learn any subject is to enjoy what you are doing. Teachers should try, as far as possible, to relate all learning outcomes to a soccer world cup theme. Children are going to be constantly talking about the event. You as a teacher will be unable to prevent it whether you are a fan or not, so use it as a tool of learning.