Teachers being key to the implementation of any school-focussed programme, Tunisian Badminton Federation held a two-day Shuttle Time course for 61 teachers last month, aiming to increase the number of Shuttle Time teachers throughout the country.
Alongside, the federation is trying to integrate badminton into school associations and competitions.
The teachers (21 female and 40 male) were given 16 hours of training in Zaghouan city on 2-3 February 2023. Alternating between theory and practice, the course was delivered through practical sessions, group discussions and PowerPoint presentations.
All the participants were enthusiastic and encouraged to impart their skills to students at their schools.
Raouf Sioud, President of Tunisian Badminton Federation, observed that the programme would shortly have an impact in schools: “It’s an honour that all the school teachers of the region now know the basics of badminton through the Shuttle Time programme. In a short time we will see champions in this game, especially in my beloved city Zaghouan.”
A partnership agreement between the Tunisian Badminton Federation and the Ministry of Education and School Sports has enabled the federation to easily communicate with the school teachers and facilitate ongoing courses.
National Shuttle Time Coordinator Ahmed Allouche said that these efforts were vital towards making badminton one of the country’s most-practiced sports. Also, with Tunisia hosting the African Beach Games this year, it will be keen to make a mark in AirBadminton, which is on the programme.
“Like all other sports, talented players are often selected through school sport associations,” noted Allouche. “Therefore, we are working to expand the base of young practitioners in schools through the Shuttle Time programme. For that reason, we organised regional and national school competitions in to identify young talent.”