The Department of School Education & Literacy, All India Football Federation (AIFF), and Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) have launched the ambitious Football for Schools (F4S) program across India. The Gujarat State Football Association (GSFA) will oversee and coordinate the distribution of footballs through various Navodaya Vidyalaya Samitis.
Schools in 33 districts of Gujarat will soon be receiving footballs under this program. Approximately 10,600 footballs have been earmarked for distribution to various Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) in Gujarat. The distribution program, scheduled for January 31, 2024, will take place at 33 NVS locations. Members of GSFA from various districts will attend the distribution program as representatives of the AIFF.
An MoU was signed between the Ministry of Education, AIFF, and FIFA on October 30, 2022, designating Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya as the nodal organisation for the F4S program. The F4S program aims to contribute to the education, development, and empowerment of around 700 million children worldwide. It seeks to make football more accessible to both boys and girls by incorporating football activities into the education system in partnership with relevant authorities and stakeholders.
The Ministry of Education has designed a detailed program, and the addresses of the respective Navodaya Vidyalayas along with contact details have been circulated to the concerned district football associations. Representatives of the GSFA and AIFF will explain the imperative need to strengthen football sports in the state.
The F4S program aims to significantly broaden the accessibility of football for students, regardless of gender, within the school setting while seamlessly integrating football-related activities into the education system in collaboration with various stakeholders. This program is expected to provide a tremendous boost to the promotion of football in Gujarat.
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