The Football Association of Malawi ( FAM) has signed a five-year Memorandum of understanding with the Malawi Schools Sports Association ( Massa) aimed at bringing back structured Youth football development programmes in schools.
The signing ceremony took place at the Mpira Village in Blantyre on Wednesday morning.
Speaking during the ceremony FAM President Fleetwood Haiya said the partnership is crucial to the Association’s player export strategy as it will enhance the platforms at grassroot level which is the base of quality player development pathway.
“Malawi has failed to achieve international success at all levels due to lack of quality players because of poor player development programmes in the absence of a structured player development pathway in Schools.
“This was because of a gap between FAM and Schools due to lack of official collaboration between FAM and the Schools Systems. Previously FAM used to have jurisdiction in Schools with Massa being part of the FAM structure and it was easier for us to implement programmes in schools. But that relationship collapsed in the early 90’s which has led to the dwindling standards of our football.
“But that changes now with the establishment of this MOU which is one of the main initiatives in achieving one of our overall outcomes in our newly strategic plan on transforming Malawi football and contributing to the MW2063 goals through the export strategy.
“We cannot be talking meaningful youth football development programmes without Schools. All the youngsters we are targeting for our programmes at all levels are school going and as such we need to go in their schools’ spaces for our efforts to be effective,”
The FAM boss says the association is looking to secure sponsorship for schools football which he hopes would encourage dropouts to return to class.
He added that FAM is also looking to partner tertiary education institutions in the association’s continued efforts to transform the game.
Massa President Blackson Malamula says it is a historical development which if well executed would bear big results .
Malamula has praised the FAM boss Fleetwood Haiya for making sure that the long awaited partnership has finally come to pass.
The key objectives of the MOU include fostering close cooperation on elimination of age cheating in football; Enhancing knowledge sharing with the view to improve coordination in the implementation of the program, ensuring that no school going student drops out of school to pursue football, using football in bringing back boys and girls to school and ensuring that young football players are safe from abuse
The two bodies have committed to undertaking the following roles:
Football Association of Malawi
- Provide technical support through identification and training of coaches
- Provide equipment and materials for the school of excellence
- Monitoring and regulating schools of excellence and academies
- Organize camp training for FAM school of excellence during school holidays
- Provide funds for FAM school of excellence and other competitions under FAM jurisdiction.
- Provide coaches for all youth national teams in line with National Football Coaches Association (NCFA)
- Provide funds for the operation of the meetings
Malawi Schools Sports Association
- Identify players for U15 and U17 in partnership with NCA, NYFA and NWFA
- Identify cluster schools where identified talent for school of excellence can be placed
- Monitor players during school calendar season
- Screen the ages of the players in partnership with NFCA, NYFA and NWFA in U15 and U 17 age groups
- Provide team managers for national teams age group of U15 and U-17 in liaison with FAM.
- Provide funds for operation of the meetings
