INTER-COLLEGE SPORTS COMPETITION
(No. 1B/359) Mr E. Guimbeau (First Member for Curepipe & Midlands) asked the
Minister of Youth and Sports whether Government proposes to re-introduce the Inter-college
sports competition and, if so, when and, if not, why not.
Mr Ritoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the National Games, formerly known as the National
Inter College Games was reviewed in August 2008 by my Ministry in collaboration with the
Ministry of Education and Human Resources, the Mauritius Secondary Schools Sport
Association and National Sports Federations with a view to giving a boost to school sports. The
question of re-introduction therefore does not arise.
Six (6) sports disciplines were involved inthis first edition, in 2008 namely Athletics,
Badminton, Basketball, Football, Table Tennis and Volleyball.
In December 2008, i.e. three months after I assumed office, I had a meeting with the
Union of Secondary School Managers, the MSSSA and other stakeholders to discuss the
organisational aspects of the second edition and it was agreed that the MSSSA will take the lead
to organise the National Games as from 2009 in close collaboration as usual with my Ministry.
For this edition again, the same six (6) sports disciplines were involved.
As regards the 2010 edition, I wish to inform the hon. Member that preliminaries and
finals at regional levels have already been completed in majority of the sport disciplines.
However, the MSSSA has informed my Ministry that the calendar of activities had to be
reviewed due to several reasons, namely, time constraint, the large number of students involved
for the Athletic competitions, policy of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources not to
organise major activities in the 3rd term due to School Certificate and Higher School Certificate
Exams and the holding of the last general election. Consequently, the finals of the athletic
competition will not be held exceptionally this year.
But, the MSSSA will during the beginning of the 3rd term organise the finals for football,
volleyball, table tennis, badminton and basketball at national level.
76
In the context of the 4th edition in 2011, a joint Technical Committee will be set up
involving MSSSA, Ministry of Youth & Sports, Ministry of Education and Human Resources
and Sports Federations to monitor the preparation and timely, implementation of the calendar of
activities.
Mr Guimbeau: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, did the Minister say that for 2010 there will be
no inter-college games?
Mr Ritoo: As I stated in my answer, exceptionally the finals of the athletics competition
will not be held this year due to time constraint because we had the general election and it is also
the policy of the Ministry of Education not to hold athletic competition during third term.
Mr Guimbeau: Can the hon. Minister give some precision who take parts in those
games? Is it all the colleges?
The Deputy Speaker: This has been answered, I understand. It is regional.
Mr Ritoo: It is organised by the MSSSA in collaboration with the Ministry for all the
colleges.
Mrs Ribot: Can we know from the hon. Minister when the regional competitions were
held?
Mr Ritoo: The MSSSA organised the regional competitions and also at national level.
Mrs Ribot: The question what I’m asking is the dates on which the regional sports were
held?
Mr Ritoo: They were held at the beginning of the first term.
Mrs Ribot: Does the hon. Minister mean that between the beginning of the first term and
the end of the second term no date was available for the holding of the National Athletic
Competition?
Mr Ritoo: As I stated in my answer, there was general election and also because a large
number of students were participating in the athletics games, so it was not possible to continue
with this activity. We had to withhold everything for one month during the electoral campaign.
77
Mrs Ribot: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I don’t think that the student were being held up in
the electoral campaign.
The Deputy Speaker: This question has been answered. We know the reason. Hon.
Guimbeau last question!
Mr Guimbeau: In reply to PQ No. B/144…
(Interruptions)
The Deputy Speaker: Order please!
Mr Guimbeau: In reply to PQ No. B/144 in April 2008, there were two committees
which were set up, a technical committee comprising of officials of his ministry and Board of
Education and there was an implementation committee, comprising of all stakeholders including
sports federation. Can the hon. Minister table the report of both committees?
Mr Ritoo: There is no problem to table the reports.

Sitting of tuesday 27 July 2010

(No. 1B/359)

Mr E. Guimbeau (First Member for Curepipe & Midlands) asked the Minister of Youth and Sports whether Government proposes to re-introduce the Inter-college sports competition and, if so, when and, if not, why not.

Mr Ritoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the National Games, formerly known as the National Inter College Games was reviewed in August 2008 by my Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, the Mauritius Secondary Schools Sport Association and National Sports Federations with a view to giving a boost to school sports. The question of re-introduction therefore does not arise.

Six (6) sports disciplines were involved inthis first edition, in 2008 namely Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Football, Table Tennis and Volleyball.

In December 2008, i.e. three months after I assumed office, I had a meeting with the Union of Secondary School Managers, the MSSSA and other stakeholders to discuss the organisational aspects of the second edition and it was agreed that the MSSSA will take the lead to organise the National Games as from 2009 in close collaboration as usual with my Ministry.

For this edition again, the same six (6) sports disciplines were involved.

As regards the 2010 edition, I wish to inform the hon. Member that preliminaries and finals at regional levels have already been completed in majority of the sport disciplines.

However, the MSSSA has informed my Ministry that the calendar of activities had to be reviewed due to several reasons, namely, time constraint, the large number of students involved for the Athletic competitions, policy of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources not to organise major activities in the 3rd term due to School Certificate and Higher School Certificate Exams and the holding of the last general election. Consequently, the finals of the athletic competition will not be held exceptionally this year.

But, the MSSSA will during the beginning of the 3rd term organise the finals for football, volleyball, table tennis, badminton and basketball at national level.

In the context of the 4th edition in 2011, a joint Technical Committee will be set up involving MSSSA, Ministry of Youth & Sports, Ministry of Education and Human Resources and Sports Federations to monitor the preparation and timely, implementation of the calendar of activities.

Mr Guimbeau: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, did the Minister say that for 2010 there will be no inter-college games?

Mr Ritoo: As I stated in my answer, exceptionally the finals of the athletics competition will not be held this year due to time constraint because we had the general election and it is also the policy of the Ministry of Education not to hold athletic competition during third term.

Mr Guimbeau: Can the hon. Minister give some precision who take parts in those games? Is it all the colleges?

The Deputy Speaker: This has been answered, I understand. It is regional.

Mr Ritoo: It is organised by the MSSSA in collaboration with the Ministry for all the colleges.

Mrs Ribot: Can we know from the hon. Minister when the regional competitions were held?

Mr Ritoo: The MSSSA organised the regional competitions and also at national level.

Mrs Ribot: The question what I’m asking is the dates on which the regional sports were held?

Mr Ritoo: They were held at the beginning of the first term.

Mrs Ribot: Does the hon. Minister mean that between the beginning of the first term and

the end of the second term no date was available for the holding of the National Athletic Competition?

Mr Ritoo: As I stated in my answer, there was general election and also because a large number of students were participating in the athletics games, so it was not possible to continue with this activity. We had to withhold everything for one month during the electoral campaign.

Mrs Ribot: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I don’t think that the student were being held up in the electoral campaign.

The Deputy Speaker: This question has been answered. We know the reason. Hon. Guimbeau last question!

Mr Guimbeau: In reply to PQ No. B/144…

(Interruptions)

The Deputy Speaker: Order please!

Mr Guimbeau: In reply to PQ No. B/144 in April 2008, there were two committees which were set up, a technical committee comprising of officials of his ministry and Board of Education and there was an implementation committee, comprising of all stakeholders including sports federation. Can the hon. Minister table the report of both committees?

Mr Ritoo: There is no problem to table the reports.