In an effort to promote football among both boys and girls through the education system, the Ministry of Education has collaborated with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to support the 'Football for Schools' (F4S) programme. This ambitious initiative, led by the Fédération internationale de football association (FIFA), aims to implement a nationwide train-the-trainer programme.
The Department of School Education & Literacy, under the Ministry of Education, is working alongside the AIFF and SAI to implement this programme across the country. As part of this initiative, three training programs were conducted in Sambalpur, Pune, and Bengaluru, training approximately 300 coach educators from various regions, including different states, Kendriya Vidyalayas, and Navodaya Vidyalayas.
On October 2, 2023, FIFA organised a two-day capacity-building master training programme as part of F4S in Sambalpur, Odisha. Ninety-five physical education teachers/trainees from various states, Union territories, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and AIFF participated in this programme.
The other two training programme took place in Pune and Bengaluru on October 5 and 6. These teachers/trainees will now serve as master trainers at the state level, further enhancing their capacity in football education.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on October 30, 2022, between the Ministry of Education, AIFF, and FIFA in the presence of Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, to formalize the F4S programme.
According to an official release issued by the Education Ministry, the F4S initiative involves equipping government schools across the country with 11.15 lakh footballs and providing training to students, teachers, and coaches to empower them in the sport.
The ultimate goal of F4S is to contribute to the education, development, and empowerment of approximately 700 million children. It aims to make football more accessible to both boys and girls worldwide by integrating football activities into the education system through collaboration with relevant authorities and stakeholders, the release states.
